Dr Michael Ryan awarded prestigious ASPHER Andrija Stampar Medal
We are delighted to announce that Dr Mike Ryan, Executive Director WHO Health Emergencies Programme and UCD MPH Alumnus, was awarded the prestigious ASPHER Andrija Stampar Medal on 22nd March 2022, in recognition of excellence in the Public Health field.
Dr Ryan has been at the forefront of managing acute risks to global health for nearly 25 years. He served as Assistant Director-General for Emergency Preparedness and Response in WHO's Health Emergencies Programme from 2017 to 2019.
Dr Ryan first joined WHO in 1996, with the newly established unit to respond to emerging and epidemic disease threats. He has worked in conflict affected countries and led many responses to high impact epidemics. He is a founding member of the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN), which has aided the response to hundreds of disease outbreaks around the world. He served as Coordinator of Epidemic Response (2000-2003), Operational Coordinator of WHO’s response to the SARS outbreak (2003), and as WHO’s Director of Global Alert and Response (2005-2011),
He was a Senior Advisor on Polio Eradication for the Global Polio Eradication Initiative from 2013 to 2017, deploying to countries in the Middle East.
He completed medical training at the National University of Ireland, Galway, a Master’s in Public Health at University College Dublin, and specialist training in communicable disease control at the Health Protection Agency in London and the European Programme for Intervention Epidemiology Training.
The event was moderated by ASPHER Honours' Committee Chair, Prof Jose Martin-Moreno. Prof Moreno is the former Director of Programme Management at WHO Europe and is a past President of ASPHER (2000-2001) and previous recipient of the Andrija Štampar Medal (2013). He is currently affiliated with University of Valencia, Medical School and INCLIVA, Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Spain.
The laudatio of Dr Michael Ryan was made by Prof Mary Codd. Prof Codd holds a seat on the ASPHER Executive Board. She is a Professor of Epidemiology & Biostatistics at the School of Public Health, Physiotherapy & Sports Science at University College Dublin where Dr Michael Ryan completed his MPH.
Dr Laura Magaña, President and CEO of the Association of Schools and Programmes of Public Health (ASPPH) in North American expressed the appreciation of the global community for Dr Ryan's work on behalf of the Global Network for Academic Public Health (GNAPH).
Reflections were made by Ms Ines Siepmann, recent graduate of Europubhealth+ European Master in Public Health and Coordinator of ASPHER's Young Professionals Programme.
2021 Andrija Štampar Medal Ceremony Programme
Tuesday 22 March from 16:00-17:00 CET, Zoom webinar
Welcome and introduction
Prof Jose Martin-Moreno, ASPHER Honours Committee Chair
Laudatio
Prof Mary Codd, ASPHER Executive Board
Acceptance Speech
Dr Michael Ryan, ASPHER Andrija Štampar 2021 Medallist
Reflections from a Global Perspective
Dr Laura Magaña, Global Network for Academic Public Health (GNAPH)
Reflections from the Next Generation
Ms Ines Siepmann, Coordinator, ASPHER Young Professionals Programme
Further Discussion, Reflections and Closing
Prof Jose Martin-Moreno, ASPHER Honours Committee Chair