Barbara K. Rimer, DrPH, MPH

Elected to Task Force: 1996

Barbara Rimer, DrPH, MPH (Vice-Chair) is dean and alumni distinguished professor of Health Behavior and Health Education at the Gillings School of Global Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Previously, Dr. Rimer served as deputy director for population sciences at UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center at UNC-Chapel Hill (2003-2005), director of cancer control and population sciences, National Cancer Institute (1997-2002); professor of community and family medicine and associate director for cancer control at Duke University (1991-97); and director of behavioral research and a full member at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia (1981-91).

Dr. Rimer has conducted research in a number of areas, including informed decision-making, long-term maintenance of behavior changes, interventions to increase adherence to cancer prevention and early detection, dissemination of evidence-based interventions and use of new technologies for information, support and behavior change. Dr. Rimer was one of the first researchers to test the impact of stepped interventions for cancer control.

Dr. Rimer has authored more than 270 peer-reviewed articles, 57 book chapters and six books, and she serves on several journal editorial boards. Dr. Rimer was the first woman and behavioral scientist to lead the National Cancer Institute's National Cancer Advisory Board, a Presidential appointment. Dr. Rimer is vice-chair for the Community Preventive Services Task Force and serves on the editorial board for MMWR.

Dr. Rimer received an MPH (1973) from the University of Michigan, with joint majors in health education and medical care organization, and a DrPH (1981) in health education from the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health.

Service on international/national research, practice or policy boards or committees:

• Chairman, President's Cancer Panel
• Member, National Cancer Advisory Board Ad Hoc Working Group to Create a Strategic Scientific Vision for the National Cancer Program and Review of the National Cancer Institute
• Board of Directors, Association of Schools of Public Health
• Editorial Board, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly
• Editorial Board, Am J Prev Med, Cancer Causes and Control

National research or practice awards

• Elected to Institute of Medicine
• NCI Health Diversity Award
• The American Cancer Society Distinguished Service Award
• NIH Director's Award
• DHHS Secretary's Award for Distinguished Service
• HealthTrac Award for Health Promotion
• Distinguished Achievement Award from the American Society for Preventive Oncology