Columbia Public Health Presents the Frank A. Calderone Prize in Public Health at Award Ceremony

The Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health will present the Frank A. Calderone Prize in Public Health to Jonathan M. Samet, MD, MS, at a ceremony on May 13, 2025. Dr. Samet, a pulmonary physician and epidemiologist, is being recognized for his groundbreaking research on inhaled pollutants, including secondhand smoke, radon, ozone, and particulate matter. His work has been central to advancing scientific understanding of the links between environmental exposures and cancer and respiratory diseases, and has significantly shaped public policy, regulation, and global health strategies.

The Calderone Prize is one of the most prestigious international honors in public health. Established in 1986 through the generosity of the family of the late Dr. Frank A. Calderone, the award honors his distinguished career as a leading figure in the New York City Department of Public Health and a pioneering officer of the World Health Organization.

Dr. Samet is the former Dean of the Colorado School of Public Health and is currently Professor of Epidemiology and Occupational and Environmental Health. Previous to serving as Dean, Dr. Samet held leadership positions at the University of Southern California, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and the University of New Mexico.  

Dr. Samet earned a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and Physics from Harvard College, an MD from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, and a Master of Science in Epidemiology from the Harvard School of Public Health.

Dr. Samet has played a pivotal role in national and international public health leadership. He has chaired numerous committees of the National Research Council and the Institute of Medicine, as well as the U.S. EPA’s Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee and the FDA’s Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee. Since 1984, he has been a key contributor to Surgeon General’s Reports on Smoking and Health, serving as Senior Scientific Editor for the 50th Anniversary Report in 2014. For his longstanding contributions, he received the Surgeon General’s Medallion in 1990 and 2006.

In 1997, Dr. Samet was elected to the National Academy of Medicine and was awarded the David M. Rall Medal in 2015 for his distinguished service to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

The prize is the culmination of a rigorous, year-long selection process by a distinguished committee of global public health leaders and awarded to an individual who has made a transformational contribution to the field. The Calderone Prize has previously honored public health luminaries such as Dr. Anthony Fauci, former Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID); Dr. Mary Bassett, former Commissioner of Health and Mental Hygiene for New York City; Dr. Peter Piot, former Executive Director of UNAIDS; Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights; and Dr. Nafis Sadik, former Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund.

Dr. Samet will also deliver an original lecture, titled “Science Has Made the Public Healthier” at the May 13th award ceremony.

WHAT:      Presentation of Calderone Prize in Public Health 

WHEN:     Tuesday, May 13, 2025
                     3pm Lecture 

We hope you can join the livestream here. 

For more information: Contact Stephanie Berger, 917-734-8973, sb2247@cumc.columbia.edu