Dean’s Lecture to feature former US Surgeon General
Jerome Adams, MD, MPH, the 20th U.S. Surgeon General and a prior member Coronavirus Task Force, will present the 2023 Dean’s Lecture at McGovern Medical School, Oct. 11.
Adams will present on “Lessons Learned from the Pandemic: Perspectives from the 20th U.S. Surgeon General,” beginning at 4 p.m. in MSB 3.001.
As the 20th U.S. Surgeon General and a member of the Coronavirus Task Force, Adams has been at the forefront of America’s most pressing health challenges. A regular communicator via TV, radio, and print, Adams is an expert not just in science, but also in communicating the science to the lay public, and making it relevant to various audiences. As surgeon general, he was the operation head of the 6,000 person Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, and oversaw responses to three back-to-back Category 5 hurricanes, and to a once-in-a-century pandemic.
Adams is a licensed anesthesiologist and ran the Indiana State Department of Health prior to becoming surgeon general. In the State Health Commissioner role, he managed a $350 million budget and over 1,000 employees, and led Indiana’s response to Ebola, Zika, and HIV crises. Notably, Adams helped convince the Indiana governor and state legislature to legalize syringe service programs in the state and to prioritize $13 million in funding to combat infant mortality.
Adams was appointed as a Presidential Fellow and the executive director of Purdue’s Health Equity Initiatives on Oct. 1, 2021. He is also a distinguished professor or practice in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Public Health.
Established in 1983, the Dean’s Lecture promotes and encourages professional development and sparks collaborative interest. Sponsored by the Research Committee, each year eminent scientists across various scientific disciplines are invited to present their work.