Full Bio

Dr. Robison is the Director of the NIOSH Office of Extramural Programs which oversees a diverse research and training portfolio. Allen started with NIOSH in 2006 as a Scientific Program Official managing extramural portfolios in Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing; Healthcare and Social Assistance; Manufacturing; Hearing Loss Prevention; and Nanotechnology.

Prior to NIOSH, Dr. Robison was a senior toxicologist at the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) where he conducted public health assessments and consultations for Superfund sites. He expanded agency capacity in toxicology, instructed in the ATSDR Basic Public Health Assessment Course, and was a Technical Project Officer for cooperative agreements with states including Illinois, Texas, South Carolina, Arizona, and others. He provided national expertise on exposures to contaminants in fish, shellfish, and other foods, and worked on sites relevant to Native Americans and Alaskan Natives.

Allen earned a BS (Natural Resources Management, School of Agriculture) at the University of Tennessee Martin, an MS in Biology from Western Kentucky University, and a PhD in Toxicology from the University of Kentucky. He worked for the Commonwealth of Kentucky (Dept. for Environmental Protection) for 12 years in air quality, water quality, and laboratory QA/QC. He entered Federal service in 1993 as an Environmental Toxicologist in the Dept. of Interior. From 1998-2001, he was the Southeast Regional Environmental Toxicologist for the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

Dr. Robison has a broad science background, diverse professional experience, and a large interest in research. His experience includes state, regional, and national level positions. He remains excited about opportunities to engage in science, interact with extramural experts, and gain insights from NIOSH scientists. He also has experience as a welder, ironworker, and farmworker.