Announcing the First-Ever Awardees of the CDC-Hubert Global Health Award and the Pappaioanou Veterinary Public Health and Applied Epidemiology Award

The CDC Foundation is pleased to announce the inaugural awardees of the CDC-Hubert Global Health Award (Hubert Award) and the Pappaioanou Veterinary Public Health and Applied Epidemiology Award (Pappaioanou Award). These awards were presented to a total of nine outstanding recipients who have completed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Epidemiology Elective Program (EEP).

The awards were underwritten by the generous support of donors to the CDC Foundation. The Hubert Award is supported by the endowed O.C. Hubert Charitable Trust; the Pappaioanou Award is supported through a fund established by Marguerite Pappaioanou, DVM, MPVM, PhD, DACVPM. Additional support for this year’s Pappaioanou Award has been provided by Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health USA.

Since its inception in 1975, CDC’s Epidemiology Elective Program has provided approximately 2,030 future physicians and veterinarians opportunities to gain experience with applied epidemiology and public health under the mentorship of CDC subject matter experts. EEP students have investigated domestic and global public health problems such as infectious disease outbreaks, natural disasters, chronic diseases and limited access to health care. Students often participate in surveillance, analyze data, assist with outbreak investigations and contribute to CDC publications and recommendations.

EEP project assignments in global health have largely supported CDC’s mission to protect domestic public health by helping other countries respond to global health threats and is the key focus for the Hubert Award. One Health is the key focus for the Pappaioanou Award with the goal of achieving optimal health outcomes recognizing the interconnection between people, animals, plants, and their shared environment.

“The best part of the EEP is the fact that it introduced me to a fantastic network of Epidemic Intelligence Service officers, medical epidemiologists and fellow trainees,” said Max Jacobs, DO, a Hubert Award recipient. “Being on the forefront of a public health response was an incredibly unique opportunity that provided me countless lessons I will undoubtedly take with me throughout my career.”

"CDC’s One Health is more than recognizing the interdependence of human, animal. and environmental health. It is taking action to bridge the schisms between them," said Michelle Wemette, DVM, MPH, a recipient for this year’s Pappaioanou Award.

“The CDC Foundation is thrilled to recognize these hard-working EEP graduates who have demonstrated a great dedication and commitment to public health, and we are grateful to our donors for making the awards possible,” said Judy Monroe, MD, president and CEO of the CDC Foundation. “We are excited about this outstanding group of awardees, and also want to recognize all of the candidates this year who were incredibly accomplished.”

The first-ever Hubert Award recipients are: Max Reed Cohen, DO; Rinki Goswami, MD, MS; Celia Southworth Haering, MD; Max Jacobs, DO; Steven Langerman, MD; and Amy Gao Xie, MD.

The first-ever Pappaioanou Award recipients are: Gregory Sean Stapleton, DVM; Michelle Wemette, DVM; and Jesse Moon Whitfield, DVM.

The Hubert Award provides a financial award for competitively selected medical and veterinary students who successfully completed EEP in the current year and demonstrated a commitment to global health through their EEP project assignment. The Pappaioanou Award provides a financial award for competitively selected veterinary students who have successfully completed EEP and demonstrated a commitment to public health, global health or One Health through their EEP assignment.