Chairs of Public Health

In 1898, the first Chair of Public Health in the world was established at the University of Edinburgh through an endowment principally from Andrew Low Bruce and Sir John Usher. This 'Bruce and John Usher Chair of Public Health' is appointed by the University Court, and has been held by Professor Linda Bauld since 2018.

In an academic context, a professorial 'Chair' is a prestigious position given to a Professor with distinguished accolades in their field. While the title of a professor can be personal, reflecting the individual's current academic interest or field of work, the title of a endowed 'Chair' is retained within the University, passing on from one professor to another over time.

Holders of the prestigious Bruce and John Usher Chair of Public Health have been:

• Charles Hunter Stewart, FSA Scot FRSE - appointed 1898

An experimental chemist from Edinburgh whose research led to great strides in our early understanding of hygiene. He carried out research on the state of the air in various public buildings, and in 1902 conducted an inquiry into the ventilation of the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

• Colonel Percy Samuel Lelean, CB, CMG, FRCS, DPH - appointed 1925

A military surgeon who served in armies across the world, he conducted extensive research on tropical medicine hygiene, and wrote a textbook Sanitation in War which was utilised frequently in World War I. During his tenure, he stressed the importance of parasitology and entomology, and established a museum at the Institute, showcasing the benefits of public health.

• Francis Albert Eley Crew TD, MD, DSc, PhD, FRCPE, DIH, FRS - appointed 1944

A medical doctor with a passion for Animal Genetics and biology, he served as Infantry during WWI, and took on medical roles during both WWI and WWII, where he became a proponent for sanitation and the intercalation of public health and social medicine.

• Sir John Howie Flint Brotherston - appointed 1955 and 1977

An influential medic with great networking and leadership skills, he was a globally renowned advocate for Global Health. He worked closely with the NHS and World Health Organization to emphasise the importance of education, analysis and integration within public health systems. In 1964, he was appointed Chief Medical Officer of Scotland, where he was made honorary physician to the Queen. In 1977, he returned to the University, where he was re-appointed to his Chair position.

• Stuart Love Morrison, DPH, FRCP, FFCM - appointed 1964

A senior lecturer and epidemiologist, he was an adviser to the WHO, Director of Health Services in Abu Dhabi, and set up a department of public health in Malta.

• William Michael Garraway, FRCPE, FRCS, FFPH - appointed 1983

An epidemiologist and senior lecturer whose research on stroke epidemiology led to the establishment of stroke units throughout the NHS and the Western world. During his tenure, he expanded the department’s research and teaching capacity, pushing for the relocation of the Usher Institute into the Medical School.

• Raj Bhopal, CBE DSc, BSc MD, MPH, MBChB, FRCP, FFPHM - appointed 1999

Raj Bhopal graduated from the University of Edinburgh, in physiology (1975), medicine (1978), and as a doctor of medicine (1991). After house-jobs and general practice he trained in public health medicine in Glasgow. After working as a lecturer at Glasgow and a senior lecturer at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, he became professor and head of the department of epidemiology and public health at Newcastle in 1991. He returned to the University of Edinburgh as Bruce and John Usher Chair of Public Health in 1999.

• Linda Bauld, OBE FRCPE FRSE FAcSS FFPH - appointed 2018 (pictured below)

Linda conducts behavioural research within public health, with a particular focus on the prevention of non-communicable diseases and how research evidence informs policy. She has led studies on drug and alcohol use, inequalities in health, overweight and obesity, smoking cessation and more recently on Covid-19. She has played a significant role in the monitoring and evaluation of a range of tobacco control policies, and served as the UK government's scientific adviser on tobacco control from 2006 to 2010.

In September 2021 she was appointed as Chief Social Policy Adviser to the Scottish Government. This is a part time secondment until 2025.

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