By Ron Meshberg

We live at a time when increasing population, shared dependency on sources of food and water, and the wide use of international travel have created unprecedented opportunities for the rapid spread of disease, such as AIDS or SARS.

These and other 21st century realities, such as acts of terrorism and natural disasters, have federal, state and local authorities searching for better ways to protect the public.

In Connecticut , J. Robert Galvin '96 M.P.H., is leading these efforts. As commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH), he is largely responsible for the safety and well-being of the state's 3.5 million residents.

The activities of the Department of Public Health cut across the lives of virtually every citizen in Connecticut.

DPH regulates all physicians, hospitals, nursing homes, day care centers and ambulance services.

It monitors every drop of water consumed, tracks infectious disease patterns and offers nutritional services such as the Connecticut WIC Program, the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants and children.

With the newly created Virtual Office of Genomics, it is even integrating genetic technologies into public health policy and practice.

In addition, as Connecticut 's commissioner of DPH, Galvin chairs the state's Stem Cell Research Advisory Committee, which disburses $10 million a year in grants.

Working at DPH headquarters in Hartford , Galvin schedules daily briefings with his branch chiefs.

With his easy smile, silver hair and horn-rimmed glasses, it is difficult to see the steely veteran who retired from the U.S. Army Reserves as a brigadier general and received nine individual decorations, including the Legion of Merit and Bronze Star for combat service in Vietnam.

Yet the same leadership qualities that have contributed to his success in the past that today equip him to run a large and diverse Department of Public Health.

Galvin's résumé, however, extends far beyond a militarybackground.

J. Robert Galvin '96 M.P.H. speaking with other students in the classes he is taking as he pursues a UConn master's degree in business administration.

After graduating from Cornell University , he received his medical degree from Tufts School of Medicine in 1964.

He then practiced as an emergency room and primary care physician.

"Later," he says, "I found myself taking public health-related roles as town health officer, school health officer and aero-space physician. This allowed me to combine the curative and treatment aspects of medicine with the preventative aspects of working with entire populations, such as community members, students and soldiers in the field."

In 1996, Galvin received a Masters in Public Health from UConn and is currently finishing an M.B.A. at UConn's School of Business.

"The DPH is a big operation with 850 employees and a budget of more than $210 million taxpayer dollars," Galvin says.

"One needs to know how to effectively bring out the best in his employees and how to effectively manage finances. No one — myself included — can run an operation of this size without the sort of business training that has come from pursuing my M.B.A. at UConn."

Galvin's modest portrayal of himself is at odds with many of those who work under him.

"Dr. Galvin does not get respect only because he is the commissioner," says Lenny Guercia , chief of operations for DPH.

"He gets it because of his leadership style, which is augmented by his ability to pull in other agencies."

This was never more apparent than during the 2004 flu season. A severe shortage of vaccine was predicted.

Thousands of anxious people lined up at clinics or implored private physicians for preventive shots.

Meanwhile, government officials scrambled for scarce supplies. Here in Connecticut , Galvin took charge. The shortage was assessed and the state's resources marshaled.

Galvin then negotiated with federal, private and international suppliers. Connecticut not only averted a possible health crisis but also ended flu season with a surplus of 1,000 doses of vaccine.

But what if a pandemic flu or other highly infectious disease were to circumvent preventive measures? Are we prepared for such an eventuality?

"We are way ahead of many other states," Galvin says, "but still have a long way to go."

With this in mind, he continually works to enhance the state's readiness.

One result is the Lundgren Field Hospital — named for Ottilie Lundgren of Oxford , who was one of five people in the United States to die of anthrax inhalation in 2001.

The 100-bed hospital is a deployable medical treatment facility for use during public health emergencies.

It is self-sustaining; it has its own water supply, heating, air-conditioning and enough generator power to run a standing municipal hospital.

"We now have the ability to go anywhere in the state and be set up for an emergency," says Galvin, who also serves as a member of the board of directors of the UConn Health Center and as an associate clinical professor at UConn's School of Medicine.

Beyond this, Galvin wants to find ways to better communicate with people about options available if disaster strikes.

"We have yet to drill down to individual families what to do or where to go if their home is uninhabitable or they need [emergency] help or medications. It's hard to get this kind of information down to an individual level."

In addition to preparedness, one of Galvin's top priorities is children. Too many children in the state suffer from lead poisoning.

Lead-based paint was banned in 1978, but a large number of homes still have remnants. Young children and fetuses are particularly vulnerable.

"Lead poisoning can drop a child's I.Q. by 10 to 15 percent," Galvin says.

"It's a serious problem in the inner cities."

Therapies exist, but currently there is no cure so the best defense is early screening.

"Dr. Galvin has helped us become the leading city in the state in lead screening," says Ramon Rojano , director of Health and Human Services for the city of Hartford, where on average 200 children a year show signs of increased levels of lead.

"He has a solid grasp of the particular plight of the inner city when it comes to health care issues."

As a state commissioner, Galvin has also forged strong professional ties with UConn. "We work very closely with

Dr. Galvin and the DPH," says David Gregorio, director of the graduate program in public health at the UConn Health Center.

"We have a number of projects going on."

One project involves the state's Fetal Infant Mortality Rate (FIMR). In the last few years, Connecticut 's FIMR dropped to 5.5 per thousand.

"Dr. Galvin has supplied resources that enable us to closely monitor infant and fetal deaths," says Gregorio, who is also the team's principal investigator.

"We expect to use this information to target community efforts and avoid any negative trends."

Back at DPH headquarters, Galvin focuses on the state's elderly as he listens to a study geared toward reducing their most common cause of injury — falling.

By day's end, he will preside over more than a dozen meetings that run the gamut of public health issues. In the evening, he will attend a civic function.

At 68, the commissioner shows no signs of slowing down.

Asked about his plans for the future, he says, "I have no interest in retiring. I'd love to serve another four years."

While Galvin serves at the discretion of Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell , the governor seems more than happy with his efforts.

"Under Dr. Galvin's leadership, the department has excelled in public health preparedness, health care quality, children's health and many other areas," says Gov. Rell.

"He has positioned the department on the cutting edge of issues such as stem cell research, genomics, and the elimination of health disparities. Connecticut is fortunate to have Dr. Galvin as its state health commissioner."