Harvard Professor Ronnie Levin Named to Time’s List of the 100 Most Influential Individuals in Global Health for 2024: Advocating for Lead Mitigation and Improving Public Health

Ronnie Levin, a professor in the Department of Environmental Health at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, has been named to Time’s list of the 100 most influential individuals in global health for 2024. Her research on lead has had a significant impact and earned her a spot on the inaugural Time 100 Health list published on May 2.

In collaboration with her husband, Joel Schwartz, a professor of environmental epidemiology, Levin conducted a cost-benefit analysis in 2023 that revealed that eliminating lead in drinking water could save the U.S. over $8 billion annually in health benefits and at least $2 billion in infrastructure costs. This figure significantly exceeded previous estimates by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Levin expressed her excitement about the EPA’s proposed rule but emphasized the importance of good implementation and enforcement to ensure its success.

Levin’s work is a significant achievement for public health, and her contributions to the understanding and mitigation of lead exposure have been recognized on a global scale. Through her research and advocacy, she has played a crucial role in shaping policies that will ultimately protect the health and well-being of individuals across the United States.