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David Gimeno

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gimeno@uthscsa.edu

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Departments & Divisions

David Gimeno Ruiz de Porras, Ph.D., M.Sc., LPsy

Chair, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences

Professor

David Gimeno Ruiz de Porras, PhD, is Professor and Chair of the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health at UT School of Public Health San Antonio. Dr. Gimeno is a trained psychologist and social and occupational epidemiologist with a Master’s in Occupational Hazards Prevention and a PhD in Public Health. Before joining the UT School of Public Health San Antonio, he was Professor at the UTHealth Houston School of Public Health within the Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences and the Director of the Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, the NIOSH Education and Research Center at UTHealth Houston, where he had led doctoral training programs in occupational epidemiology and Total Worker Health©. Prior to that, Dr. Gimeno was a Senior Research Fellow on the Whitehall II study in the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at University College London Medical School, where he further developed his research expertise in the social and cultural determinants of occupational injuries and illnesses.

Dr. Gimeno’s research focus is to develop a comprehensive picture of the impact of adult life exposures, especially those in the occupational setting, through corresponding psychosocial, behavioral, and biological pathways on disease and functional decline. His research interests include the impact of work on a range of physical and mental health outcomes, work-related lost productivity, return-to-work, and cross-national survey studies of working and employment conditions and health, working with large, longitudinal data, and a focus on vulnerable workers.

Most recently Dr. Gimeno has been involved in research on occupational exposures and asthma-related outcomes among healthcare workers, physiological workloads related to musculoskeletal injuries among agricultural workers, the Central American Surveys of Working Conditions and Health of workers in the formal and informal economies, a study of 9000 workers in each of the six Spanish-speaking countries in Central America, and the characterization of individual, occupational, and neighborhood-level factors influencing personal air pollution exposure among Hispanic/Latina women working as domestic cleaners in San Antonio, TX. 

Dr. Gimeno’s teaching experience includes courses in research methods in environmental and occupational health and capstone courses for students in epidemiology and environmental and occupational health sciences.

  • Professional Background

    Education

    • 2003 - Ph.D. - Public Health - Universitat Pompeu Fabra
    • 1999 - Advanced Technical Degree/ - Higher Technician in Occupational Risk Prevention: Applied Ergonomics and Psychosociology, - Employment and Industry Department [Departament de Treball] of the Government of Catalonia
    • 1999 - MSc. - Occupational Hazards Prevention - Universitat Pompeu Fabra and Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia
    • 1997 - Licentiate [BSc+MSc] - Psychology - Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia

    Training

    • 2003 - Social and Occupational Epidemiologist with a Ph.D. in Public Health - Universitat Pompeu Fabra
    • 1999 - Master in Occupational Hazards Prevention (UPF and UB)
    • 1997 - Trained psychologist - Universitat de Barcelona

    Highlights

    Awards

    • Harrison C. Spencer 2023 Award for Outstanding Community Service given by the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) to the UTHealth SPH Texas Epidemic Public Health Institute (TEPHI). Contribution as member of two TEPHI working groups: “Business and Food Chain Preparedness” and “Rural Healthcare.”

    Appointments

    • 2023 - Chair - Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences - UT School of Public Health San Antonio
    • 2023 - Professor - UT School of Public Health San Antonio
    • 2020-2023 - Director, Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, the NIOSH Education Research Center - The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, School of Public Health, Texas
    • 2018-2023 - Full Professor - Department of Management, Policy and Community Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, School of Public Health, Texas
    • 2003 - present - Senior Researcher (Adjunct) - enter for Research in Occupational Health (CiSAL), Department of Experimental and Health Sciences of the Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Catalonia
    • 2003 - present - Senior Researcher - Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBER) en Epidemiología y Salud Pública [Biomedical Research Centre Network for Epidemiology and Public Health] (CIBERESP), Institute of Health Carlos III, Ministry of Science and Innovation of Spain

  • Research & Grants

    Grants

    • 2020-2025 Project: Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health. A National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Education and Research Center (NIOSH-ERC). Funding agency: CDC/NIOSH. Activity code: T42. Total costs: USD 8,422,275. Role: Principal Investigator, 20%.
    • 2022-2023 Project: Workplace Safety and Health Training on Infectious Diseases, Including COVID-19. Funding agency: US DOL/OSHA, Susan Harwood Workplace Safety and Health Training on Infectious Diseases Training Grant. Activity type: Training grant. Total costs: USD 160,000. Role: Co-Investigator/Training Education Specialist, 5% (Principal Investigator: Dr. Anabel Rodriguez, UTHealth SPH San Antonio).
    • 2022-2023 Project: Workplace Safety and Health Training on Infectious Diseases, Including COVID-19. Funding agency: US DOL/OSHA, Susan Harwood Workplace Safety and Health Training on Infectious Diseases Training Grant. Activity type: Training grant. Total costs: USD 160,000. Role: Co-Investigator/Training Education Specialist, 5% (Principal Investigator: Dr. Anabel Rodriguez, UTHealth SPH San Antonio).
    • 2022-2025 Project: Routes to Environmental Justice: Assessment of Ambient Environmental Exposures for Safe Routes to School Programs. Funding agency: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Activity type: K01. Total costs: USD 472,943. Role: Co-Mentor [in-kind] (Principal Investigator: Kevin Lanza, PhD, Assistant Professor, UTHealth SPH).
    • 2022-2025 Project: Total Worker Health Program, part of the Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, a National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Education and Research Center (NIOSH-ERC). Activity type: T42. Funding agency: CDC/NIOSH. Total direct costs: USD 1,047,395. Role: Program Director, 10% (Principal Investigator: David Gimeno, UTSPH).
    • 2021-present Project: Texas Epidemic Public Health Institute (TEPHI). Activity code: Contract. Funding Agency: TEPHI, established by the 87th Texas Legislature Senate Bill (SB) 1780 as a new state agency housed. Role: Co-Investigator (Principal Investigator: Dr. Eric Boerwinkle, UTHealth SPH) in two initiatives: (1) TEPHI Business and Food Chain Preparedness Working Group (20%) and (2) TEPHI Rural Healthcare Working Group (8%).
    • 2022-2023 Project Title: Texas COVID-19 vaccine outreach and education. Code: HHS001043100001. Funding Agency: DHHS/CDC/Texas A&M Health. Total Costs (subaward): $299,875. Type: Outreach. Role: Co-Investigator, 12% (Principal Investigator: Dr. Anabel Rodriguez, UTHealth SPH San Antonio).
    • 2021-2022 Project: On-worksite vaccine clinics and education for agricultural and food process workers in the Texas Panhandle, South Plains, South Texas, and greater San Antonio. Activity code: Contract. Funding Agency: Texas Vaccine Outreach and Education Grant program, a partnership between Texas A&M Health and the Texas Department of State Health Services Immunization Unit. Total Costs: USD 72,799. Role: Co-Investigator, 5% (Principal Investigator: Dr. Anabel Rodriguez, UTHealth SPH San Antonio).
    • 2021-2024 Project: Study of Cleaners in San Antonio: Immunologic and Inflammatory Responses to Total Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Exposure. Activity code: R01. Funding Agency: NIH/NIEHS. Total Costs: USD 2,253,150. Role: Contact PI, Multiple PI (with Dr. Kristina Whitworth, Baylor College of Medicine and Dr. Inkyu Han, Temple University), 20%.
    • 2020-2021 Project: Case Investigation and Contact Tracings on behalf of Metro Health, the City of San Antonio Metropolitan Health District (SAMHD). Activity code: Contract. Funding Agency: SAMHD. Total Costs: USD 2M - 4M (based on umbrella contract given moving timeline due to ongoing COVID-19 pandemic). Role: Co-Investigator (Epi/data lead, quality control and performance metrics), 12%. (Principal Investigator: Dr. Jack Tsai, UTHealth SPH San Antonio).
    • 2020-2022 Project: COVID-19 in the US Dairy Industry: Development, Delivery and Evaluation of Training Resources for Producers and Workers. Funding Agency: USDA/AFRI. Total Costs: USD 637,585. Role: Co-Investigator, 5%.
    • 2020-2025 Project: Occupational Epidemiology Program, part of the Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, a National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Education and Research Center (NIOSH-ERC). Activity code: T42. Funding agency: CDC/NIOSH. Total direct costs: USD 1,047,395. Role: Program Director, 10% (Principal Investigator: David Gimeno, UTSPH).
    • 2020-2022 Project: Shaping the Future to Ensure Worker Health and Well-being: Shifting paradigms for Research, Training and Policy. Funding agency: CDC/NIOSH. Activity Code: U13. Total costs: USD 168,844. Role: Co-Investigator, 4% (Principal Investigator: Dr. George Delclos, UTSPH).
    • 2016-2021 Project: Occupational Safety Management and Leadership on Large-Herd Dairy Farms. Activity code: U54. Funding agency: CDC/NIOSH via the High Plains Intermountain Center for Agricultural Health and Safety at Colorado State University. Total costs: USD 1,175,741. Role: Co-Investigator, 10% (UTSPH Principal Investigator: Dr. Douphrate).
    • 2016-2021 Project: Physical Exposures and Musculoskeletal Symptoms among Logging Machine Operators. Activity code: U54. Funding agency: CDC/NIOSH via the Southwest Center for Agricultural Health, Injury Prevention and Education at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler. Total costs: USD 699,995. Role: Co-Investigator, 10% (UTSPH Principal Investigator: Dr. Douphrate).
    • 2016-2021 Project: The Impact of Reduced Thermal Load on PFD Use among Shrimp Fishermen. Activity code: U54. Funding agency: CDC/NIOSH via the Southwest Center for Agricultural Health, Injury Prevention and Education at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler. Total costs: USD 89,101. Role: Co-Investigator, 6% (UTSPH Principal Investigator: Dr. Douphrate).

     

     

  • Service

    Service to the Profession

    • 2023-present Member of the Academic Committee of the "Ibero-American Observatory on Safety and Health at Work, Ibero-American Social Security Organization [Observatorio Iberoamericano sobre Seguridad y Salud en el Trabajo (OISST), Organización Iberoamericana de Seguridad Social].
    • 2019-present Network Coordinator (Coordination Committee established in 2019) of the “Expert Network on Working Conditions, Employment, and Health Surveys” [Red ECoTES]. 
    • 2017-present Associate Editor of the Brazilian Journal of Occupational Health [Revista Brasileira de Saúde Ocupacional; Abbreviated title: Rev Bras Saude Ocup, RBSO].
    • 2017-present Member, Research Advisory Committee, Colorado School of Public Health – Pantaleon Research Collaboration, University of Colorado, Denver.
    • 2014-present Founding Member of the “Expert Network on Working Conditions, Employment, and Health Surveys” [Red Experta en Condiciones de Trabajo, Empleo y Salud – Red ECoTES] established in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on 13-14 November 2014, during the Ibero-American Meeting on Working Conditions and Health Surveys organized by the Ibero-American Organization of Social Security Systems, CiSAL from the Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona (Spain) and the Superintendence of Occupational Risks of Argentina.

  • Publications