Purpose of Awards

To recognize individuals, teams, institutions and leaders of institutions for making significant contributions to improve the health of women, children and families by

1. Advancing public health knowledge through epidemiology and applied research,
2. Improving public health practice through both effective use of data and epidemiology and training of the field, and
3. Enhancing the political will to support practice and advance knowledge through effective use of data, epidemiology and applied research.

The Coalition for Excellence in MCH Epidemiology

No one organization represents MCH Epidemiology as a profession from both an academic and practice perspective. MCH Epidemiology, however, is a major contributor and participant in many health organizations and professional groups. To better recognize the field as a whole and to promote excellence in MCH Epidemiology, 16 national health organizations have formed the Coalition for Excellence in MCH Epidemiology to sponsor the National MCH Epidemiology Awards.

Award Categories and Levels

Nominations are being accepted for the following 2009 National MCH Epidemiology Awards for presentation at the Annual MCH EPI Conference. The Coalition offers awards in six categories:

• Greg Alexander Award for Advancing Knowledge Award-Advancing public health knowledge through epidemiology and applied research
  The purpose of this award is to recognize individuals and organizational teams from a variety of disciplines who have made a substantial contribution to advancing the knowledge base aimed at improving the health of women, children and families. Because this is an MCH Epidemiology award, preference is given to those whose focus is applied, those actually engaged in creating new data systems, new methods for measurement or analysis, new information (based on data from a variety of sources whether it be surveillance systems, evaluation data or primary data collection methods) or even new conceptual frameworks. It is expected that the new knowledge contributed by the awardee has led the MCH field to consider new approaches and or discover new findings related to an MCH problem. Evidence of whether an individual has advanced knowledge is best assessed through publications in the peer-reviewed literature but can also include technical reports, Institute of Medicine type syntheses, books, book chapters and/or creation of surveillance systems and learning tools that are widely disseminated. The criteria for this award include: 1) originality of scientific work, 2) contribution to the field, and 3) impact on the MCH population.

• Effective Practice Award--Improving public health practice through effective use of data, epidemiology and applied research
  This awards category recognizes individuals, organizational leaders, organizational units and institutions who make significant contributions to public health practice in MCH at the community, state, tribal or national levels through the effective use of data and epidemiology. The award can be given to the organization or individuals primarily responsible for the contribution. For organizations, the actual plaque will go to the individual(s) or leader(s) personally or most closely responsible for the work leading to the contribution. In any one year, these awards are given for the specific level of contribution--community, state, tribal and national. The criteria for this award include: 1) significance of work, 2) contribution to public health practice, and 3) level of impact on the intended population. This award is not necessarily based on publications, but is based on contributions that impact on the MCH population.

• Excellence in Teaching Award--Improving MCH public health practice through excellence in teaching and training in the use of data, epidemiologic methods and applied research
  This award is given to an individual or organization with a strong history of excellence in teaching and training in MCH Epidemiology. Awardees will have developed and/or implemented training materials, courses, and/or programs within and/or outside academe to increase the capacity of MCH public health to turn data into information and action. The purpose of the award is to recognize an individual/organization who is viewed as a teacher and training leader in increasing the analytic capacity of the MCH field, not only by their peers and participants but also by the larger MCH community. The criteria for this award includes: 1) an identifiable track record in developing/implementing MCH Epidemiology training and/or training products; and, 2) contribution to public health practice.
  
• Outstanding Leadership Award--Enhancing the political will to advance knowledge and to support public health practice through effective use of data, epidemiology and applied research
  Improving the health of women, children and families takes more than quality science and public health practice. Political will is needed at all levels to take the needed steps to improve public health knowledge and practice. This awards category is to recognize leaders and organizational teams who serve at a local, state or national level and who have made significant contributions to the field by creating the political will to improve the health of women, children and families through epidemiology, applied research, and effective data use. The criteria for this award include: 1) demonstrated increase in political will including the provision of resources, 2) contribution to public health practice, and 3) impact on their MCH population.
  
• Zena Stein and Mervyn Susser Award for Lifetime Achievement
  The purpose of this award is to recognize an internationally or nationally known expert or team of experts who have contributed broadly and substantially to the advancement of the field of MCH epidemiology throughout their career, and whose work has significant and lasting impact. This award is considered to be a capstone award; hence its recipient(s) should be at or near the end of their career. The proposed lifetime achievement in MCH epidemiology award will be given only when deemed appropriate, and is not expected to be awarded annually. No more than one lifetime achievement award will be given in any calendar year.
  
• Young Professional Achievement Award
  This awards category is to recognize young outstanding professional leaders whose early work are making substantial contributions to the field in one or more of the above awards categories, and serves as a model to other young professionals. The awardee or team of awardees must be under 40 years of age at the time of the MCH EPI Conference in December. This award equally recognizes all three types of contributions and uses the respective awards criteria in the selection process.

Past National MCH Epidemiology Award Recipients

2005

Mark Klebanoff, National Institute of Child Health and Development

2000

2007

Kimberlee Wyche-Etheridge, Nashville-Davidson County Health Department

Wanda Barfield, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Carrie Shapiro-Mendoza, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

2005

Los Angeles County STD Program

Richard Lorenz, Okalahoma State Department of Health

Stella Yu, Health Resources and Services Administration

Carolyn Slack, Columbus Health Department

Gilberto Chavez , California Department of Health Services

New Mexico and Navajo PRAMS Collaborative

2005

Jose Cordero, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

2007

Russell Kirby, University of Alabama at Birmingham

2005

Deb Rosenberg, University of Illinois in Chicago

2007

Charlan Kroelinger, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

2005

Stephanie Schrag, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Zena Stein and Mervyn Susser Award for Lifetime Achievement

2005

Mervyn Susser and Zena Stein, Columbia University

Nomination Process

All nominations for 2009 awards must be received by June 1, 2009. Nominations or nomination materials received after this date cannot be guaranteed for consideration for this year's awards and may be deferred until 2010.

Nominations should include:

1. a completed nomination form,
2. C.V. or resume, and
3. two supporting letters of nomination.

• Greg Alexander Award for Advancing Knowledge
• Effective Practice
• Outstanding Leadership
• Excellence in Teaching
• Young Professional Achievement
• Zena Stein and Mervyn Susser Award for Lifetime Achievement

The committee has strong interest in recognizing the work of women and minorities. Self-nominations are accepted. Nominees must be alive at the time of nomination. A person/organization cannot nominate the same individual for more than one award category, but the Awards Selection Committee reserves the right to select the final awards category. The Awards Selection Committee also reserves the right not to give an award in any category if a candidate of sufficient merit is not nominated. Prior award recipients may not receive an award again in the same category, but may be nominated for another award category based on new merit. Members of the Awards Selection Committee cannot be nominated for an award.

Dr. Wanda D. Barfield
MCH EPI Program Team Leader
Division of Reproductive Health
Center for Disease Control and Prevention
4770 Buford Hwy. NE. MS-K22
Atlanta, GA 30341-3717
Phone: 770-488-6231
Fax: 770-488-6291
mchepi@cdc.gov