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Women’s Society hosts October 6 lecture by two institute leaders

Written by Kim Furlow, communications manager for the Institute for Public Health


Guest speakers at the October 6 Women’s Society of Washington University Lecture Series will include two leaders from the university’s Institute for Public Health. The Larry J. Shapiro Director of the Institute, William G. Powderly, MD, and Karen Joynt Maddox, MD, MPH, an associate professor and co-director of the institute’s Center for Health Economics and Policy, will co-present: “From Research to Impact in Public Health: Translating What We Know into Action”. Six times per year, the Women’s Society Lecture Series features distinguished Washington University faculty members speaking on a wide range of topics.

The October 6 event convenes at 9:30 a.m. with a coffee reception followed by the lecture at 10 a.m. at Emerson Auditorium in Knight Hall on the university’s Danforth Campus. The presentation will also be available via livestream. Registration by October 2 for both in-person attendance and the livestream is strongly suggested.

About the speakers

William G. Powderly, MD

In addition to his duties as director of the Institute for Public Health, William G. Powderly is also the J. William Campbell Professor of Medicine; associate dean for Clinical and Translational Research; director of the Institute of Clinical and Translational Sciences; and co-director of the Division of Infectious Diseases in the Department of Medicine. From 2005 to 2012, he was Dean of Medicine and Head of the School of Medicine at University College Dublin in Ireland.

Powderly has been actively involved in HIV-related clinical research for thirty years. He has been a member of numerous advisory groups on HIV and infectious diseases for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Canadian Institute for Health Research, and the European Medicines Agency.

He is the author of more than 400 original manuscripts, reviews and book chapters.

At the Institute for Public Health, Powderly’s focus has been on translating scientific advances to a wider population to improve public health.

Karen Joynt Maddox, MD, MPH

An associate professor for the Washington University School of Medicine,  Karen Joynt Maddox’s research includes: improving the measurement of the quality and efficiency of physicians, hospitals, and health systems; understanding the impact of policy interventions on health care, with a focus on value-based and alternative payment models; and reducing disparities in care, with a focus on vulnerable populations including racial and ethnic minorities, individuals living in poverty, individuals with disabilities, frail elders, and those in rural areas. She has authored more than 250 articles featured in the National Institute of Health Library of Medicine and co-directs the institute’s Center for Health Economics and Policy.

The vision for public health at Washington University in St. Louis is to improve community and global health through the creation of new knowledge, the application and translation of science, and the training of advanced academic and practice leaders in public health. Through its five objectives, the Institute for Public Health harnesses the strengths of Washington University to address the complex health issues and health disparities facing the St. Louis region and the world. For more information, or to support the institute’s work, visit the institute website

Founded in 1965, The Women’s Society of Washington University enhances mutual understanding and interaction between Washington University and the St. Louis community. Society members serve as the university’s community ambassadors and provide unique services to WashU students. Annual membership is open to anyone interested in Washington University in St. Louis; however, a formal connection to the university is not required. Membership provides access to the educational Lecture Series (six annual events), the Chancellor’s Lecture (featuring a prominent member of University leadership), the Adele Starbird Lecture (featuring a nationally renowned speaker), and other social and educational events. For more information about The Women’s Society of Washington University, visit the society’s website, email wswu@wustl.edu or call 314-935-4647.