Lab Matters Summer 2025 | Page 16

MEMBERSHIP

Over 1,100 public health scientists and administrators attended APHL 2025 in Portland, OR May 5 – 8. APHL welcomed over 100 fellows and interns from the Public Health Laboratory Fellowship and Internship Programs: an APHL-CDC Initiative. Brian Castrucci, DrPH, spoke to a rapt audience about the rise of anti-science during the Dr. Katherine Kelley Distinguished Lecture. And APHL presented its annual awards for outstanding achievements in laboratory science, creative approaches to solving today’ s public health challenges and exemplary support of laboratories serving the public’ s health. The following awards were presented:

Lifetime Achievement Award – Recognizes individuals who have established a history of distinguished service to APHL, made significant contributions to the advancement of public health laboratory science or practice, exhibited leadership in the field of public health and / or positively influenced public health policy on a national or global level. This is not a retirement award, but a true Lifetime Achievement Award.

🏆 Burton Wilcke, emeritus associate professor, University of Vermont

Gold Standard Award – Given to an APHL member who makes or has made significant contributions to the technical advancement of public health laboratory science and / or practice.

🏆 Kirsten St. George, chief, Laboratory of Viral Diseases, New York State Department of Public Health Wadsworth Center

Silver Award – Honors a laboratorian with 10 to 15 years of service in a Governmental public health laboratory( either Public Health or Environmental / Agricultural laboratory). The honoree will be recognized as a leader both within their home laboratory as well as external to their laboratory.

🏆 Will Probert, research scientist supervisor, California Department of Public Health

🏆 Suzanne Stanton, biomonitoring coordinator, chemist V, Vermont Department of Health Laboratory

On the Front Line Award – Honors an individual or laboratory outside of the APHL membership who makes significant contributions to the advancement of public health laboratory science and / or practice.

🏆 Food Emergency Response Network program staff, Food Safety and Inspection Service, US Department of Agriculture( USDA)

🏆 Food Emergency Response Network and Laboratory Flexible Funding Model program staff, US Food and Drug Administration( FDA)

Emerging Leader Award – Honors an individual whose leadership has been instrumental in one or more advances in laboratory science, practice, management, policy or education early in their career.

🏆 Jasmine Guillet, division director of health safety and training, Massachusetts State Public Health Laboratory

Leadership in Biosafety and Biosecurity Award – Honors a laboratorian with over 10 years of related service in the field of biosafety and biosecurity in a state and / or local public health laboratory. The honoree will be recognized as a leader both within their home laboratory as well as external to their laboratory( for example, by serving in a leadership role in committees / taskforces at the national level).

🏆 Peter Iwen, director, Nebraska Public Health Laboratory