AVC epidemiologists honoured for achievements in their field
Two veterinary epidemiologists from the Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC) at the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) recently received prestigious international awards from the International Society for Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics (ISVEE).
The ISVEE presented Dr. Ian Dohoo, professor emeritus of epidemiology at AVC, with the inaugural Roger Morris ISVEE Award for extraordinary lifetime achievement and Dr. Charles Caraguel, a former graduate student at AVC, with the first ISVEE Emerging Scientist Award at its annual meeting in Mexico in November.
During the ISVEE meeting, it was also announced that the internationally renowned UPEI Centre for Epidemiological Research (CVER) at AVC was awarded the hosting of the 2021 ISVEE conference, which brings together over 500 epidemiologists and economists world-wide to discuss veterinary epidemiology and economics related to global food systems, public health, and interactions between humans and domestic and wild animals. Canada last hosted the ISVEE conference in 1991. This will be only the second time the conference has been held in Canada.
“The contributions of Drs. Dohoo and Caraguel and their collaborative research, teaching and service networks are vital to the well-being of our world’s human and animal populations,” says Dr. Alaa Abd-El-Aziz, president and vice-chancellor of UPEI. “Their work impacts food systems, public health, disease surveillance and control, and the policies that guide improvements in health, safety and quality of life. I congratulate and thank them for their achievements and leadership.”
“I congratulate Drs. Dohoo and Caraguel on receiving these prestigious awards,” says Dr. Greg Keefe, dean of AVC. “Dr. Dohoo has left an indelible mark on the College and on me personally as a mentor and my graduate supervisor. Dr. Caraguel, as a former graduate student, bears witness to the excellence of our epidemiology and aquatics programs.”
Dohoo is known worldwide for his expertise in veterinary epidemiology. A founding faculty member at AVC, he led the development of the College’s internationally recognized research program in veterinary epidemiology, becoming the first director of CVER. He has a long list of awards, honours, and publications to his credit, including co-authorship of Veterinary Epidemiologic Research, the standard text used for epidemiology curricula in veterinary schools worldwide.
After completing his veterinary degree in France, Caraguel earned his Master of Science and PhD degrees at AVC, under the supervision of Dohoo and internationally renowned aquatic epidemiologist Dr. Larry Hammell. At UPEI’s 2010 Convocation, he received the Governor General’s gold medal for graduate studies. Now a faculty member at the University of Adelaide’s School of Animal and Veterinary Science in Australia, he has developed a strong epidemiology program in that school’s veterinary curriculum. He also works with food production industries in Australia.
“The awarding of the two medals to Charles and to me confirms that our international peers view the veterinary epidemiology program at AVC to be among the strongest in the world,” says Dohoo.
