Posted 7/2/2008

McKeown has held variety of leadership positions at the University

Veteran faculty member Dr. Robert McKeown is the new chair of the Arnold School's Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Interim Dean Dr. Tom Chandler has announced.

Dr. Robert McKeown

McKeown, who earned his doctorate from USC in 1991, succeeds Dr. John Vena who has taken a new job as chair of the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of Georgia College of Public Health.

"There are few folks on this campus with better professional reputations and more administrative experience than Robert McKeown," said Chandler in thanking McKeown for "assuming this new and challenging role."

Chandler also thanked Vena for his outstanding service as chair since 2003 and wished him well in his new endeavor.

McKeown, a native of Chester, SC, is a retired Methodist minister who earned a masters degree and a doctorate in theology from Duke University. He earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Furman University.

His academic interests include psychiatric epidemiology, perinatal epidemiology, child and adolescent health, women's health and public health ethics.

McKeown has collected a number of plaudits from the school during his career including the Faculty Service Award, the Distinguished Alumnus Award and the James A. Keith Excellence in Teaching Award.

He also has served as the Arnold School's associate dean for research, associate chair of the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, president of Delta Omega, liaison to the Greenville Hospital System initiative, and director of the Health Sciences Research Core.