Dr. Robert D. Bullard Inducted into the National Academy of Medicine

Dr. Robert D. Bullard, Distinguished Professor of Urban Planning and Environmental Policy and Director of the Bullard Center for Environmental and Climate Justice at Texas Southern University, was recently inducted into the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) in Washington, D.C.

Widely known as the “father of environmental justice,” Dr. Bullard was among 100 new members elected to the Academy in 2024. Election to NAM is one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine, recognizing individuals who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service.

Dr. Bullard was selected for his “extraordinary vision, groundbreaking research, and sustained leadership to identify and end injustices affecting vulnerable people and places disproportionately harmed by pollution and climate change.”

“Having the science, research, data, and facts alone is not enough,” said Dr. Bullard. “We must marry science, research, data, and facts with action to achieve transformative and lasting change and address the environmental, climate, and health challenges faced by our most vulnerable people and places. That’s our justice movement.”

As the author of 18 books and hundreds of scholarly papers, reports, and expert testimonies, Dr. Bullard has spent more than four decades leading efforts to dismantle systems that perpetuate inequality.

“Texas Southern University celebrates this remarkable achievement,” said Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Carl B. Goodman. “Dr. Bullard’s induction into the National Academy of Medicine is a testament to the body of work he’s curated over decades, and to his commitment to the purpose that has driven him throughout his storied career.” 

This honor marks Dr. Bullard’s fourth major academic recognition in three years. He was also elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2022. Founded in 1780, the Academy honors excellence and brings together leaders from every field of human endeavor to advance knowledge, address national and global challenges, and promote the common good. In 2023 he became a fellow at the California Academy of Sciences. And in 2024, he was elected to the National Academy of Medicine and Texas Academy of Medicine, Engineering, Science and Technology, the first from Texas Southern University.