Dr. Jim Enstrom, Epidemiologist

James Enstrom, PhD, MPH has been working as a researcher and professor for the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Department of Environmental Sciences at UCLA since 1974. But more recently he has also been waging a battle with his employers. They say that his work and results are not consistent with the mission of the department: “furthering interdisciplinary research at the interface between human health and the environment” and have been trying to push him out of his job.

But, his work has been demonstrated to be eminently consistent with their mission. It is just that Dr. Enstrom’s results are in conflict with those on which the California Air Resources Board (CARB) based their $5.5 billion dollar legislation controlling diesel emissions–and he has not been quiet about it. According to CARB, diesel exhaust is toxic and kills 671 Californians per year. Dr. Enstrom disagrees, pointing out that the studies on which they based their conclusions did not take into account the fact that many truck drivers smoke and were based on data gathered from 1950-80. Amazingly, Dr. Enstrom found that one of the main reports was authored by a CARB staffer who had faked his alleged UC Davis PhD, having bought it on line for $1000. Since several recent studies (his included) show that the fine particulates in diesel soot do not contribute to premature death, Dr. Enstrom is rightly concerned that this highly expensive legislation may be unnecessary, being based on what he perceives as inaccurate and incomplete science.

AITSE is concerned about Dr. Enstrom’s situation because we are committed to academic freedom and integrity science. Professors should not be afraid to publish controversial results because doing so may cause job loss. According to Dr. Enstrom, “Science isn’t based on how many people vote on something. It’s based on the truth, and the truth can be determined by just one scientist.” AITSE agrees: science should be based on impartial evaluation of evidence, not mere consensus.