Leon Gordis

Leon Gordis (July 19, 1934 – September 7, 2015) was an American epidemiologist, professor, and author known for his influential textbook *Epidemiology*, which remains a cornerstone in the field. Born in New York City to Fannie and Robert Gordis—whose father, Robert, was a prominent Conservative rabbi—Leon grew up in Far Rockaway, Queens. He earned degrees from Columbia University and the Jewish Theological Seminary before completing his medical degree at SUNY Downstate College of Medicine. Gordis further pursued public health education, earning an MPH in 1966 and a DrPH in 1968 from the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health (now the Bloomberg School of Public Health), with Abraham Lilienfeld as his advisor. Gordis began his professional career at Johns Hopkins, joining the faculty in 1971 to teach epidemiology. He later served as chair of the Department of Epidemiology from 1975 to 1993. During his tenure, he established a cardiovascular fellowship program in 1980 and co-founded the Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research. Gordis also taught at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and held leadership roles, including Associate Dean for Admissions and Academic Affairs. A renowned educator, Gordis authored *Epidemiology*, a seminal textbook widely used globally. His contributions to public health education were recognized with numerous awards, including multiple Golden Apple Awards for Excellence in Teaching from his students. However, he faced criticism in the 1990s for chairing an NIH expert panel that advised women in their 40s to weigh the benefits and risks of mammography rather ...