# Dickson Despommier, PhD

Dickson Despommier is professor of environmental health sciences at the Mailman School of Public Health (MSPH) and professor of microbiology at Columbia's College of Physicians & Surgeons. A graduate of Fairleigh Dickinson University (B.S. biology, 1962), Columbia University (M.S. medical parasitology, 1964), and the University of Notre Dame (Ph.D., biology, 1967) -- and a member of Columbia's faculty since 1970 -- Despommier today has a wide variety of teaching and curriculum development responsibilities at Columbia, serving as course director for educational programs in parasitic diseases, ecology, medical ecology, emerging infections, and the environmental health sciences. Despommier is also the author of a textbook on parasitic diseases published in 2000 and is widely acclaimed for his book "West Nile Story," an account of the West Nile virus epidemic that began in New York City during the summer of 1999. He was named the 2003 winner of the American Medical Student Association's (AMSA) National Golden Apple for Teaching Excellence award. Chosen from a pool of student-nominated candidates from across the country, Despommier was singled out by AMSA's selection committee for his deep commitment and singular contributions to excellence in medical education.