Rodney R. Larson, PhD, FAIHA, CIH

Dr. Rod Larson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, Rocky Mountain Center for Occupational and Environmental Health at the University of Utah. He participates in a variety of research projects. For example, he is currently working with the Department of Psychiatry on evaluating the potential for an association between select air pollutants in Salt Lake Valley and autism. He also was previously the Environmental Monitoring Leader for the National Children’s Study Utah Vanguard Center. As such, he has been responsible at both the state and national level for determining the monitoring and analytical methods, as well as frequency of sampling in homes of the participants in this study. He is involved with another university in evaluation of blood lead level in children in Pakistan and potential impact of lead exposures in children to affect their development and behavior later in life. Another research projects he has been involved in included evaluation of environmental exposures to women to determine if associated with endometriosis. He teaches a variety of courses related to occupational and environmental health (see below). He also directs research in areas related evaluation of occupational and public exposures to various types of particulates, vapors and gases, and various types of biological contaminants (e.g., bacteria, mold, etc.). Rod has more than 40 years of experience, 14 of which he spent working full-time with a major petro-chemical company.

Honors: Dr. Larson is recognized as an IH “Fellow” by the American Industrial Hygiene Association.

Professional Interests:

• Monitoring methods for antineoplastic agents and other hazardous chemicals

• Ventilation design

• Toxicology and Risk assessment studies

Courses Taught:

• FPMD 6730 - Quantitative Risk Assessment

• FPMD 6750 - Fundamentals of Occupational Safety and Health

• FPMD 6752 - Introduction to Industrial and Environmental Toxicology and Physiology

• FPMD 6754 - Noise and Other Physical Agents

• FPMD 6708 - Human Health and the Environment (4th year Medical Students)