Research Messenger
Vol 3, Issue 1
December 1, 2008
2009 Albert W. Johnson Lectureship
The University Grants and Lectureship Committee, with representatives from all seven colleges, the library and IVC, has recommended that John P. Elder, professor in the Graduate School of Public Health (GSPH), be named the Albert W. Johnson lecturer for 2009. This recognition, named for SDSU's former provost and stalwart supporter of our university's research mission, is the highest award for scholarship offered by the university.
The competition for the 2009 lectureship was gratifyingly intense. There were eight nominees from four colleges and the IVC, all worthy of this high recognition. We expect there are future Johnson lecturers among this group.
John Elder is an internationally-recognized scholar in health promotion, addressing issues of obesity, alcohol and tobacco use, sun exposure, diet and physical activity. He has developed intervention plans for communities in 30 countries. Thousands of people worldwide can attribute their good health to the practice of Dr. Elder's models of healthy behavior.
John's academic record is astonishing. He has authored or co-authored three books, 250 articles in the leading journals of his field and some 33 chapters and related publications. He sits on the editorial boards of the four most prominent journals in health behavior. John has won more than &$36;60 million in extramural funding since coming to SDSU in 1984, primarily in competition from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). To offer a perspective on that amount, if John had been a California State University (CSU) last year, he would have ranked 11th among the 24 entrants (23 CSUs plus John). He has been among the top five percent of NIH awardees nationwide for the past 26 years.
John has also been a generous mentor and respected senior scholar to students and colleagues in his roles as director of the Center for Behavioral and Community Health Studies (BACH), interim director of the GSPH and director of the GSPH Ph.D. program. John's students have enjoyed success in their own academic pursuits, and his young colleagues at SDSU have benefited from his wise counsel. John is not only defining the practice of healthy behavior in our era; he is also developing the next generation of scholars.
In recognition of John's national leadership, he was named Research Laureate by the American Academy of Health Behavior in 2003.
John Elder will deliver the AWJ Lecture on Mar. 6 at 2 p.m. in AL201. He will receive a monetary award, a plaque of recognition, and the title of Distinguished Professor of Public Health. His name will be added to the plaque of 18 former AWJ lecturers that hangs in the entrance to the Office of Graduate and Research Affairs.
Please join me in offering John our congratulations on his signal achievements and attend the AWJ lecture on Mar. 6.
Thomas R. Scott
Vice President for Research
San Diego State University