State environmental health expert to speak Nov. 20 on bioterrorism

(Nov. 19, 2001)--State epidemiologist Dennis Perrotta will speak on "The Spectre of Bioterrorism" at 5:30 p.m Tuesday, Nov. 20 in Humanities and Social Science Building Room 2.02.04 on the 1604 Campus.

Perrotta is an invited speaker for the College of Education and Human Development course "Survey of Human Disease." Seating is limited to 40 seats in addition to regular class seating on a first-come, first-served basis.

An expert in bioterrorism, Perrotta holds a Ph.D. and is board certified in infection control. He recently served as president of the Armed Forces Epidemiological Board. In 1999, he completed a two-year term on the Institute of Medicine Committee to Improve Civilian Medical Response to Chemical and Biological Terrorism, and currently facilitates the state health department's efforts on bioterrorism preparedness.

As the chief of epidemiology for the Texas Department of Health, Perrotta is principal investigator on a current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) grant on bioterrorism prevention and control through that state agency. For more than 20 years, Perrotta has worked in a wide range of areas from bioterrorism, asthma and environmental health to infectious disease epidemiology.

Perrotta received his master of science degree in 1977 from UTSA in microbiology and biochemistry before attending the University of Texas School of Health in Houston, where he earned his doctorate in epidemiology, biometry and environmental sciences in 1982. While in San Antonio, he worked with Neal Guentzel and attended classes in the Koger Business Center whle UTSA buildings were under construction. His undergraduate degree in biology and chemistry was awarded in 1973 by St. Mary's University in San Antonio.

For more information contact Ann Tarleton at (210) 458-5642.

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