ibhf fellows

Adrienne Asch, Ph.D., M.S.
Fellow

Adrienne Asch is the Edward and Robin Milstein Professor of Bioethics at Wurzweiler School of Social Work, and Professor of Epidemiology and Population Health at Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Yeshiva University. Prior to her position at Yeshiva University, she was the Henry R. Luce Professor in Biology, Ethics, and the Politics of Human Reproduction and Professor of Women's Studies at Wellesley College.

At Wellesley, she taught such courses as: Multidisciplinary Approaches to Abortion; Ethical and Social Issues in Genetics; Women and Motherhood; Ethical and Policy Issues in Reproduction; Disability in Society: Politics, Policy, and Law; and Literature and Medicine. Asch has authored, co-authored, and co-edited numerous articles, books, and book chapters, including: "Reproductive Rights and Disability" for the Encyclopedia of Disability (2005); "Recognizing Death while Affirming Life," in the Hastings Center Report (2005); and "Disability Equality and Prenatal Testing: Contradictory of Compatible?" in the Florida State University Law Review (2003). Presently, she is on the editorial boards of Ethics & Behavior and Microbial & Comparative Genetics.

In addition to her teaching and research, Asch has considerable experience with local, state, and national policy-making groups. During 2001-2002, she was a member of the ELSI Policy and Planning Group of the National Human Genome Research Institute. In 1999-2000, she was a consultant to the Secretary's Advisory Committee on Genetic Testing for the Department of Health and Human Services. In 1995, Asch was a member of the Social Security Administration's National Commission on Childhood Disability, and in 1993, she was a member of the Bioethics Working Group of the Clinton Task Force on Health Care Reform. From 1987 to1990, she was an Associate in Social Science and Policy with the New Jersey Commission on Legal and Ethical Problems in the Delivery of Health Care.

Asch received a B.A. in philosophy from Swarthmore College; an M.S. in social work, community organization, and planning from Columbia University School of Social Work; and a Ph.D. in social psychology from Columbia University.