Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, MD, renowned immunologist and former Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), has been named the recipient of the Award for Excellence in Public Policy and Public Affairs from the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. First given in 2018, the award recognizes individuals for their distinction, independence, effectiveness, and work on behalf of the common good.
Dr. Fauci’s career in public health spans more than five decades, during which he has advised seven U.S. presidents and contributed significantly to the understanding and treatment of infectious diseases. As NIAID Director from 1984 to 2022, he oversaw critical research initiatives that transformed the global response to HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and emerging infectious diseases. Dr. Fauci was one of the principal architects of President George W. Bush’s President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which has resulted in the saving of over 25 million lives in developing nations. His tireless advocacy for evidence-based policymaking came to the forefront during the COVID-19 pandemic, when his clear communication and scientific rigor provided guidance and reassurance to millions worldwide.
He was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1991.
“Dr. Fauci’s extraordinary leadership in public health and his steadfast commitment to science-driven policy are exemplary,” said Laurie L. Patton, President of the Academy. “From his role in combating the HIV/AIDS epidemic to guiding the nation through the COVID-19 pandemic, over decades of unprecedented challenges, Dr. Fauci has been a voice of reason and resilience. His work embodies the Academy’s mission of advancing the public good and its values of elevating the use of evidence and fostering deliberative discourse. His achievements remind us of the profound role science and public policy play in shaping a healthier, more equitable world.”
“I am honored, delighted, and humbled to receive this prestigious award from the Academy”, said Dr. Fauci. The Academy was founded in 1780, and some of its earliest work involved collecting data on prevalent diseases, births and deaths, and causes of death. The collection of “Bills of Mortality” was undertaken with a vision for developing a broader understanding of “life in the several States.” It is fitting that more than 200 years after that vision for a national public health initiative, one of the nation’s foremost public health leaders is receiving this award.
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Dr. Fauci has authored, co-authored, or edited over 1,400 scientific publications and remains one of the most cited researchers in the field of infectious diseases. As the longtime chief of the Laboratory of Immunoregulation at NIAID, he made many contributions to basic and clinical research on the pathogenesis and treatment of immune-mediated and infectious diseases. He is also widely recognized for delineating the precise ways that immunosuppressive agents modulate the human immune response. He developed effective therapies for formerly fatal inflammatory and immune-mediated diseases such as polyarteritis nodosa and granulomatosis with polyangiitis (formerly Wegener's granulomatosis). Over the past 43 years his research has made major contributions to understanding the immunopathogenic mechanisms of HIV disease. He has received numerous awards and honors including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the National Medal of Science and the Lasker Award for Public Service. He is the recipient of 62 honorary doctoral degrees from universities in the United States and around the world.
Dr. Fauci is only the third recipient of the Academy’s Award for Excellence in Public Policy and Public Affairs. It was awarded to Ernest J. Moniz, former U.S. Secretary of Energy, for his work in energy and climate policy, in 2018; and to Marian Wright Edelman, President Emerita of the Children’s Defense Fund, for her advocacy for the welfare, education, and rights of children in the United States, in 2023.
The award will be presented in spring 2025.
There is more information online about the Academy and the prizes it awards.