Distinguished Lectures

To widely disseminate important public health innovations and ideas and to recognize those who pursue and advocate for critical new policies and programs, the Mailman School sponsors several prestigious lectures in the field.

The Frank A. Calderone Prize and Lecture

As the field's most prestigious award, the Frank A. Calderone Prize in Public Health is presented by the Columbia Mailman School to an individual who has made a transformational contribution in the field of public health. The Frank A. Calderone Prize in Public Health was established in 1986 through the generosity of Dr. Calderone and his family to mark his life-long commitment to the health of the public. View the list of Calderone awardees and read past lectures.

The Isidore I. Benrubi Lecture in the History and Ethics of Public Health

The Isidore I. Benrubi Lecture in the History and Ethics of Public Health is an annual lecture featuring a leader in the field of public health and ethics. The lecture series was established in 2007 by the family of Isidore I. Benrubi, a physician, father, and friend. The National Endowment for the Humanities provides additional matching support. View the list of Benrubi honorees.

The Yusuf Hamied Distinguished Lecture

The annual Yusuf Hamied Distinguished Lectures – one in Mumbai and one in New York City – honor outstanding individuals whose work has advanced our understanding of global health challenges. We thank our Columbia Mailman board member Dr. Yusuf K. Hamied for his generosity in establishing this distinguished lecture series, which enables our institution to strengthen and build academic relationships with the public health research community in India, in collaboration with our partner, the Columbia Global Centers | Mumbai. View the list of Hamied Lectures. 

The Granville H. Sewell Distinguished Lecture

Named in honor of one of the School’s most revered longtime faculty members, the annual Sewell Lecture recognizes significant achievement in the area of environmental health sciences. View the previous list of Sewell honorees. 

Inaugurated in 1993 by the Department of Environmental Health Sciences, the annual Granville H. Sewell Distinguished Lecture honors individuals who have made outstanding contributions to environmental health sciences. The lecture series was established in memory of Dr. Granville Sewell, who directed the educational programs in environmental health sciences at Columbia for more than 20 years. A man who served Columbia University and society in many different ways, Sewell was internationally recognized for his great contributions in the critical area of water supply in developing countries.