William Schaffner, M.D., professor and chair of Preventive Medicine, is the 2012 recipient of the American College of Epidemiology’s Abraham Lilienfeld Award, in recognition of his contributions and leadership in the discipline of epidemiology.
The annual award is presented to a senior leader who has made extraordinary contributions to the field of epidemiology through both teaching or mentoring and research or scholarship over the course of his or her career. Lilienfeld Awardees are recognized as lifetime Honorary Fellows of the college.
The award, which is the American College of Epidemiology’s highest honor, is named for Abraham Lilienfeld, a teacher, scholar and founder of the College.
Schaffner, Vanderbilt’s first recipient, accepted the award Sept. 11 in Chicago at the group’s annual meeting.
“The College Awards Committee each year receives numerous nominations of truly outstanding epidemiologists for the Lilienfeld Award and, as you can imagine, making a choice is always quite difficult,” said Craig Newschaffer, professor of Epidemiology at Drexel University, who chairs the ACE Awards Committee.
“This Committee was incredibly impressed by the breadth and magnitude of Dr. Schaffner’s achievements as a research epidemiologist, applied epidemiologist, public health advocate and mentor. He is a deserving recipient of one of our field’s highest honors.”
