CASE SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING

Case Engineering Alum Elected to Institute of Medicine

Burton H. Singer, Ph.D, a 1959 undergraduate alumnus of the Case School of Engineering (bachelor of science degree in engineering science), who is the Robertson Professor of Public and International Affairs in the Office of Population Research at Princeton University, Princeton, N.J., is one of 64 newly elected members of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS).

With the new members announced Oct. 24, the IOM's active membership stands at 1,461.

This year marks the 35th anniversary of the Institute of Medicine, which the NAS established in 1970 to honor professional achievement in the health sciences and to serve as a national resource for independent analysis and recommendations on issues related to medicine, biomedical sciences and health.

"As the Institute of Medicine celebrates this milestone, it is a great pleasure to welcome these distinguished individuals as members," said IOM President Harvey V. Fineberg, M.D. "Election recognizes those who have made major contributions to the advancement of the medical sciences, health care, and public health. It is considered one of the highest honors in these fields."

Current active members elect new members from a slate of candidates nominated for their professional achievement. A diversity of talent among members is assured by the institute's charter, which requires that at least one-fourth be selected from fields outside the health professions - such as the social and behavioral sciences, law, engineering and the humanities.

With their election, members make a commitment to involve themselves in the work of the institute, which conducts studies and other activities addressing a wide range of issues in medical science, health services, public health and health policy. Some current studies are a project to recommend appropriate nutritional standards for foods sold in schools, an evaluation of the nation's system for ensuring the safety of prescription drugs after they have reached the market, and an assessment of emergency health care in the United States and recommendations for improving it.