Kenneth Bridbord, MD, was recently named the recipient of the American Association of Science (AAAS) Award for International Scientific Cooperation, an award given to an individual who has made exceptional contributions to promoting international cooperation in science and engineering. Dr Bridbord is Director of the Division of International Training and Research at the Fogarty International Center (FIC) of the National Institutes of Health.
Dr Bridbord received his MD from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine and his MPH from Harvard School of Public Health. Before coming to FIC in 1983, he worked for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and for the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He received a Silver Medal from the EPA in 1975 for his work exposing the dangers to health of lead levels in gasoline.
While at FIC, Dr Bridbord has been instrumental in developing international scientist training programs to address global needs for training and promotion of research. One program he has been involved with, for instance, is the AIDS International Training and Research Program, which equips scientists in developing nations to grapple with the AIDS epidemic. His work has centered on public health research and preventive medicine, and he is credited with the development of research training programs worldwide and increasing the capacity of developing countries to conduct research and combat global health threats.