Martin Ditkof

Advisor: Thomas Andrews • Martin Ditkof is starting his journey into the CU History PhD program during August 2025, having previously practiced law for 40 plus years. His focus is on environmental history as it overlaps with toxic torts, legal studies, and occupational safety. Marty blogs weekly on asbestos history at his website www.TheAsbestosBlog.com and authors a column on history in the Global Asbestos Forum Magazine. His three theses for the Master’s Degree involved whether the Challenger tragedy was caused by an asbestos substitute that failed, the impact of asbestos on shipbreaking labors in Bangladesh, and the legacy asbestos waste impacting beach activities and nature in northern Illinois. Marty graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor’s of Business in 1979, from Cornell Law School with a Juris Doctorate in 1983, and the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs with an Master of Arts in History during 2024. His varied work experiences include Ford Motor Company in accounting, the University of Illinois Law School in their legal writing program as a Visiting Instructor, a private law firm, public corporations, and concluded with 20 years of self-employment in a home office.