Physician, 1914-2000. Shank received his medical degree from the Washington University School of Medicine in 1939. In 1948 Shank joined the faculty of his alma mater as the Danforth Professor of Medicine and head of the Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health. Under his leadership, the scope of the department broadened to include work in nutrition studies, rehabilitation, health maintenance organizations, biostatistics, applied physiology, and lipid research. Shank contributed to many national and international projects in the specialty of nutrition. He was particularly associated with the formation of standards for minimum dietary allowances by the National Research Council Food and Nutrition Board. He served as a consultant to the U.S. Public Health Service, the Interdepartmental Committee on Nutrition for National Defense, the Pan American Health Organization, and several food industry associations. Shank became professor emeritus in 1981.
From the description of Robert E. Shank papers, 1946-1980. 1946-1980. (Washington University in St. Louis). WorldCat record id: 63284147
From the description of Oral history interview with Robert E. Shank, 1980. 1980 (Washington University in St. Louis). WorldCat record id: 70193435
