Gary Ginsberg, PhD, is one of two recipients of the SOT 2016 Public Communications Award. Dr. Ginsberg is a Senior Toxicologist with the Connecticut Department of Public Health, where he evaluates human exposures to chemicals present in the air, water, soil, food, and workplace. He provides risk assessment expertise to state agencies in standard setting and site remediation projects, and his dedication to toxicology is evident though his tireless endeavors to educate the public and other health care professionals with accurate and practical knowledge. Dr. Ginsberg uses AM and FM radio, television, books, and social media—paired with traditional approaches—such as educational sessions at meetings and conferences and print media. The other recipient is Steven G. Gilbert.
Gary Ginsberg Receives SOT 2016 Public Communications Award
As a regular guest on The Dr. Oz Show, he has reached millions of TV viewers by providing tips on what toxic chemicals to watch out for in the household, green living tips, and maintaining a “healthy home.” He also contributes to The Dr. Oz Show blog and website on topics that inform parents about protecting their children from potentially harmful exposures. Dr. Ginsberg’s monthly blog entries at the Yale School of Public Health website are entitled “Is It Safe” and are presented in a question and answer format on topical toxicology questions. He is an adjunct faculty member at Yale and at the University of Connecticut School of Community Medicine.
Dr. Ginsberg co-authored What’s Toxic, What’s Not (Berkley Books, 2006). This book has been educating the layperson through his down-to-earth advice about the common hazards or concerns in homes, food, and yards. He is able to consolidate vast amounts of science into easily digestible, useful information to help protect consumers from potentially hazardous situations and alleviate unfounded fears of chemical risks. The content ranges from lead, mold, and asbestos in homes to dioxins in food and chlorine in public pools.
In addition to TV and books, Dr. Ginsberg had a two-hour radio show for several years entitled “Greener Living with Dr. G” and he currently has a weekly “What’s Toxic, What’s Not,” segment on the “YOU The Owner’s Manual” radio show available on several online streaming radio sites. The focus of these segments is to bring toxicology’s headlines and hidden issues into focus in an easy to understand presentation. Moreover, Dr. Ginsberg’s duties at the State of Connecticut include consumer advisories that are often the subject of fact sheets and press releases. He has been quoted in many publications including Connecticut, Newsday, Simple Living, Reader’s Digest, Money Magazine, and This Old House, and he was the featured toxicologist on a recent Wastebusters video produced by the state of Connecticut. In addition, his works have been quoted on Twitter and Facebook as well as Huffington Post and his own website.