2020 CSTE Pumphandle Award

Anne Schuchat, MD; Thomas Safranek, MD named Pumphandle Award Winners

The Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) is pleased to announce the winners of the 2020 Pumphandle Award, which was presented during a Virtual Awards & Recognition Ceremony held Thursday, August 27. This year, the CSTE Executive Board recognized two individuals who were deserving of the Pumphandle Award – Dr. Anne Schuchat, Principal Deputy Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Dr. Tom Safranek, State Epidemiologist from Nebraska. Each year, CSTE’s Pumphandle Award is given for outstanding achievement in the field of applied epidemiology to an individual or individuals who exemplify extraordinary contributions and achievement in the profession.

Dr. Anne Schuchat, MD, joined CDC as an Epidemic Intelligence Service officer in 1988. She became CDC’s principal deputy director in September 2015 and served as acting CDC director from January-July 2017 and February-March 2018. From 2006-2015, she served as director of CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD) and as Chief of the Respiratory Diseases Branch from 1998-2005. Dr. Schuchat has played key roles in CDC emergency responses, including the 2009 H1N1 pandemic influenza response, the 2003 SARS outbreak in Beijing, and now, the 2020 COVID-19 global pandemic response. Click HERE for highlights of Dr. Schuchat’s Pumphandle Award acceptance remarks.

Tom Safranek, MD, is a longtime CSTE member who has spent much of his career in applied epidemiology in Nebraska’s Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health. With a focus upon infectious disease, Tom has been dedicated to state and national public health data, informatics and preparedness initiatives, as well as enhancement and funding of electronic laboratory reporting, and more. Tom also served as CSTE president in 2011-2012, after different roles on the Executive Board. Tom is a fixture at CSTE Conferences and has contributed so much to the position statement process and the organization as a whole. You can always recognize Tom from a mile away, with his friendly smile and great bow tie collection. Click HERE for highlights of Dr. Safranek’s Pumphandle Award acceptance remarks.

CSTE would like to again congratulate both Dr. Schuchat and Dr. Safranek for their outstanding leadership, achievements in epidemiology, and unwavering commitment to public health. CSTE is proud to add Anne and Tom to the list of Annual Pumphandle Award winners. For more information on CSTE’s annual awards, please visit https://www.cste.org/page/Awards.

About CSTE

Founded in 1951, the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) represents the interests of State Epidemiologists from all 50 U.S. states and territories, comprising the Council. CSTE is also the professional home to nearly 2000 practicing applied epidemiologists working at the state, local, tribal and territorial levels. For more information, visit www.cste.org.