Robin Mittenthal, the former advisor for the global health certificate at the University of Wisconsin, died this weekend in an accident at his farm.
Mittenthal was the advisor for UW’s global health certificate program for the last six years, until he left that position in April to step into his new role as the coordinator of the Upper Midwestern Regional Center of Excellence for Vector-Borne Disease at UW.
According to the MCEVBD website, Mittenthal coordinated actions among the center partners in five states, managed center communications and tracked progress in addressing vector-borne disease challenges.
Mittenthal was killed in an accident on his farm this past weekend. He had spent a great deal of time at UW, working for the global health certificate program while in pursuit of a Ph.D. in entomology.
“Robin was involved right from the start of the undergraduate certificate in global health; the early success of the new program was due, in no small part, to his unfailing dedication and caring for the experience of each and every student,” Jonathan Patz, director of the Global Health Institute, said.
In 2010, Mittenthal was featured in a Wisconsin State Journal article, which highlighted his role as the chairman of the board that oversees the Eagle Heights Community Gardens. The garden had 537 plots tended by about 1,500 gardeners near the family housing area at UW-Madison.
“Robin was an intelligent, caring and loved advisor by hundreds of students,” Lori DiPrete Brown, associate director for education and engagement at the Global Health Institute, said. “He cared deeply about education, the environment and the way food systems related to health, but most importantly, his family was the center of his life.”
Mittenthal was in his early 40s at the time of his death.
According to information from GHI, Mittenthal will be remembered at a grief session for faculty and staff from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 5. in room 116 of Agriculture Hall.
A similar session will also be held Tuesday for students for students from 4 to 5 p.m. in room 38 of Agriculture Hall. According to information from GHI, a grief counselor will be available.
Mittenthal’s funeral will be 11 a.m. Saturday at Cress Funeral Home, located at 6021 University Avenue. Visitation will start at 10 a.m.
“He was a wonderful professional and scholar and father, who loved family and the land. Global health students who graduated in the first years of the certificate program will always remember messages they got from Robin,” Brown said.
Dec. 5, 12:11 p.m.: This story has been updated to include information about funeral arrangements and services for Robin Mittenthal.
