Alumni and Friends
Harvard Chan Alumni Association Awards
Each fall, the Alumni Awards Committee selects recipients for four distinguished honors, celebrated during Alumni & Reunion Weekend.
The signature Alumni Award of Merit, established in 1992, has recognized dozens of outstanding graduates. In 2011, the Alumni Association introduced three additional awards to celebrate achievements across different public health domains and career stages. These honors reflect the School’s founding mission by recognizing alumni whose work advances public health’s highest ideals. Beliefs and mission.
2026 Award Winners
Alumni Award of Merit
Established in 1992, the Alumni Award of Merit is the highest honor presented by the Alumni Association to alumni of Harvard Chan School.
Lorraine Dean, SD ’10
Lorraine Dean, SD ’10, is an associate professor of epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where she co-leads the national Guaranteed Income & Health Consortium. A social epidemiologist, Dean studies how social and economic forces, including racism, discrimination, social capital, consumer credit, and guaranteed income, shape health outcomes and contribute to disparities in chronic disease.
Her research has been supported by the National Institutes of Health, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Center for AIDS Research, and other major funders. She is co-author of Power, Privilege and Public Health: Theory and Practice, which examines how systems of power influence health equity.
Dean’s commitment to improving population health began early. As a first-generation college student at the University of Pennsylvania, she conducted breast cancer research in Venezuela as a Fulbright Scholar. Before entering academia, she coordinated more than $14 million in state and federally funded tobacco control initiatives in Philadelphia, helping reduce smoking among more than 25,000 residents.
Today, Dean’s work continues to bridge research and policy. Findings from her studies have informed public health practice and were cited in multiple briefs submitted to the U.S. Supreme Court in support of preserving no-cost HIV PrEP coverage under the Affordable Care Act.
Felix Gutzwiller, MPH ‘75
Felix Gutzwiller, MPH ‘75, has shaped public health research, education, and policy over five decades. After earning his MPH from Harvard Chan School and a DrPH from Johns Hopkins, he returned to Switzerland to establish one of Europe’s first community-based cardiovascular disease prevention programs.
Gutzwiller held professorships at the Universities of Lausanne and Zurich, where he built the University of Zurich’s Institute of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention into the country’s largest academic public health center. He also founded the Swiss School of Public Health and served as its first president, helping strengthen public health education and collaboration across Switzerland.
His leadership extends well beyond academia. Working with the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health, he helped develop the nation’s HIV/AIDS awareness campaign and advanced initiatives addressing substance use and chronic disease prevention. As a member of both chambers of the Swiss Parliament, he championed landmark public health legislation, including nationwide smoke-free public spaces and reforms to modernize hospital financing.
Following his parliamentary service, Gutzwiller was appointed by the Swiss Federal Council to chair its Committee for International Collaboration, advising on strategic priorities for Switzerland’s international development efforts.
Emerging Public Health Professional Award
This award recognizes early-career public health achievements and contributions of graduates who received their degree within the past 10 years.
Abraar Karan, MPH ’17
Abraar Karan, MPH ’17, is an infectious disease physician, epidemiologist, and entrepreneur whose work spans clinical medicine, public health, and emerging infectious disease preparedness. An adjunct professor at Stanford University, he focuses on outbreak prevention, biosecurity, and the development of innovative approaches to detecting and responding to infectious disease threats.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Karan served on the executive team supporting the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s response while completing his medical residency at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. He later led the first community-based randomized trial evaluating air filtration to reduce household COVID-19 transmission, research that has informed guidance on airborne infectious diseases. His work has also advanced understanding of Mpox, Ebola, Marburg virus, and H5N1 avian influenza through surveillance and field research in the United States and East Africa.
Karan is also the founder of Sentiveil, a health technology company developing tools to detect outbreaks in congregate care settings using advanced diagnostics and artificial intelligence.
Widely recognized as a trusted public voice on infectious diseases, Karan regularly shares evidence-based expertise through major national media outlets, helping translate complex science into accessible guidance while advancing preparedness for future public health threats.
Leadership Award in Public Health Practice
This award recognizes a graduate who has been an outstanding example of effective leadership in the practice of public health, in the public or private sphere.
Qudsia Huda, MPH ’02
Qudsia Huda, MPH ’02, is an internationally recognized physician, humanitarian, and public health leader whose career has advanced global health security, disaster preparedness, and climate resilience spanning more than 25 years. She currently leads the World Health Organization’s work on disaster risk management, resilience, and climate-related health risks at WHO headquarters in Geneva, where she helps shape global policy on preparedness, response, and recovery for health emergencies.
Since joining WHO in 2004, she has led responses to some of the world’s most significant humanitarian crises, including the South Asia tsunami, Ebola, COVID-19, and numerous conflicts and natural disasters across Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.
Born and educated in Bangladesh before coming to the United States to earn an MPH at Harvard Chan School, Huda began her career as a physician before transitioning to public health, recognizing the transformative power of prevention. Huda was among the pioneering members of the first cohort of Harvard Chan School’s Humanitarian Studies Program.
A respected global health diplomat, Huda serves in several international leadership roles, including co-chair of the International Recovery Platform and WHO focal point for disaster risk reduction within the G20 and Sendai Framework. She is also a prolific author whose publications, technical guidance, and policy frameworks have influenced emergency preparedness and disaster risk management worldwide.
Public Health Innovator Award
This award recognizes a significant innovative contribution to public health made by a distinguished graduate.
Amber Nigam, SM ’23
Amber Nigam, SM ’23, is the co-founder and CEO of Basys.ai, a healthcare artificial intelligence company developing explainable AI solutions that help improve the affordability, efficiency, and transparency of healthcare. Under his leadership, Basys.ai has partnered with organizations, including the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Mayo Clinic, to reduce administrative burden and strengthen decision-making across health systems.
A graduate of Harvard Chan School’s Health Data Science program, Nigam has quickly emerged as a leading voice in responsible healthcare AI. His work has earned recognition from organizations including The Healthcare Technology Report, Rock Health, and the Boston Business Journal, while Basys.ai has been featured in Gartner’s Healthcare AI Hype Cycle for its contributions to the field.
In addition to leading Basys.ai, Nigam has taught collaborative data science for healthcare at MIT and is a frequent speaker on artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship, and healthcare innovation. His thought leadership has appeared in publications including Harvard Business Review and Forbes, where he advocates for responsible, explainable AI that improves patient outcomes while increasing trust and accountability across healthcare.
Award Details
- The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Alumni Award of Merit is the highest honor bestowed upon a graduate, recognizing a significant career in the field of public health.
- The award recognizes professional excellence as expressed by advancement of science, improvement of community practice, leadership of institutions, or contributions to the growth and accomplishments of future professionals
- Only one individual may be listed on each nomination submitted. Nominations listing two or more individuals for the same award will be returned to the nominator.
- This recognition consists of a citation, typically presented at a celebratory dinner held in conjunction with Alumni Weekend.
- Only members of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Alumni Association as defined in Section 1 of the Association bylaws may nominate candidates for the Award of Merit, and only members meeting that definition will be considered to receive the Award of Merit.
- The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Leadership Award in Public Health Practice recognizes a graduate who has been an outstanding example of effective leadership in the practice of public health, in the public or private sphere.
- Only one proposed recipient may be listed on each nomination submitted. Nominations listing two or more individuals for the same award will be returned to the nominator.
- The award recognizes selfless service and leadership in the practice of public health, significant career contributions to the adoption/uptake of public health principles at the local, state, regional, national or international level; and/or demonstrated significant leadership in a government, NGO, or other public service organization.
- Only members of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Alumni Association as defined in Section 1 of the Association bylaws may nominate candidates for the Leadership Award in Public Health Practice, and only members meeting that definition will be considered to receive the Leadership Award in Public Health Practice.
- This award consists of a citation, which is presented at an award ceremony, typically held in conjunction with the annual Harvard Chan School Alumni Weekend.
- The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Public Health Innovator Award recognizes a significant innovative contribution to public health made by a distinguished graduate.
- The award recognizes alumni for an innovative idea or approach to public health delivery, via science, practice, or education in public health.
- Only members of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Alumni Association as defined in Section 1 of the Association bylaws may nominate candidates for the Public Health Innovator Award, and only members meeting that definition will be considered to receive the Public Health Innovator Award.
- This award consists of a citation, which is presented at an award ceremony, typically held in conjunction with the annual Alumni Weekend.
- Only one proposed recipient may be listed on each nomination submitted. Nominations listing two or more individuals for the same award will be returned to the nominator.
- The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Emerging Public Health Professional Award recognizes early-career public health achievements and contributions of graduates who received their degree within the past 10 years.
- The award recognizes those who are role models for current and future public health professionals through early-career leadership and selfless dedication in any area of public health.
- Only one proposed recipient may be listed on each nomination submitted. Nominations listing two or more individuals for the same award will be returned to the nominator.
- Only members of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Alumni Association as defined in Section 1 of the Association bylaws may nominate candidates for the Emerging Public Health Professional Award, and only members meeting that definition will be considered to receive the Emerging Public Health Professional Award.
- This award consists of a citation, which is presented at an award ceremony, typically held in conjunction with the annual Alumni Weekend.
Nomination Details
Only Harvard Chan School faculty and members of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Alumni Association may nominate candidates for Alumni Association Awards. Only members of the Alumni Association will be considered for Association Awards. Awardees are chosen by a volunteer committee of Harvard Chan alumni from a range of disciplines and class years. Award Committee members are not eligible to submit nominations, be nominated, or to receive awards during and until two years after their term of service. Alumni Council members are not eligible to be nominated or receive awards until two years after their term of service.
Nominations must include the following materials:
- Award category
- Candidate’s Biographical information, including name, degree, degree year and department, email address, home address, and current business information.
- 500-750 word nomination statement/Biosketch of nominee to discuss in detail the qualifications of the Nominee for the award (written by proposer)
- 250-500 word statement of personal support (written by proposer)
- Candidate’s CV/Resume
- Proposer’s Biographical Information, including name, degree, degree year and department, email address, home address, current business information
Nominations may also include:
- Up to three relevant hyperlinks to support nomination
- Additional letters of support
You must be logged in to the Harvard Chan School Alumni Community to complete your nomination or download the Alumni Awards Worksheet before you submit to help you organize materials needed.
If you have any questions regarding the Nominations timeline, process, or form, please contact alumni@hsph.harvard.edu.