For Immediate Release
Contact:
Kate Uesugi, kuesugi@americanhumanist.org, 202-238-9088 (ext. 105)
(Washington, DC, July 1, 2021) – Today, the American Humanist Association (AHA) announced scientist and immunologist Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. as the 2021 Humanist of the Year. AHA Executive Director Roy Speckhardt said, “We are honored that Dr. Fauci will receive our highest award at the AHA’s 80th Annual Conference. His unwavering commitment to accessible, evidence-based information and his robust communication to people about public health issues is commendable and necessary, especially in this critical time.”
Dr. Anthony S. Fauci is the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) at the U.S. National Institutes of Health, where he oversees an extensive research portfolio focused on infectious and immune-mediated diseases. As the long-time chief of the NIAID Laboratory of Immunoregulation, Dr. Fauci has made many pivotal contributions in basic and clinical research and is one of the world’s most-cited biomedical scientists.
In the US and throughout the world, he is respected for his efforts to address COVID-19. Throughout the global pandemic, his push for evidence-based solutions and emphasis on the importance of science and reason has been a guiding light in difficult times.
Dr. Fauci has identified as a humanist and mentions that he aligns with humanist values. He has said in recent interviews: “I look upon myself as a humanist. I have faith in the goodness of mankind.” and “I’m less enamored of organized religion than I am with the principles of humanity and goodness to mankind and doing the best that you can.”
Dr. Fauci is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the National Medal of Science, the George M. Kober Medal of the Association of American Physicians, the Mary Woodard Lasker Award for Public Service, the Albany Medical Center Prize in Medicine and Biomedical Research, among others. He also served as the trusted advisor of seven U.S. Presidents.
Dr. Fauci’s remarks will wrap up the American Humanist Association’s 80th Annual Conference on the afternoon (EST) of July 25th. The Annual Conference will be held virtually on July 24th-25th, 2021 and, in addition to Dr. Fauci’s remarks, will feature interactive sessions, inspiring speakers, and opportunities to connect with fellow humanists.
Register here to take advantage of everything the 80th Annual Conference has to offer.
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The American Humanist Association (AHA) works to protect the rights of humanists, atheists, and other nontheistic Americans. The AHA advances the ethical and life-affirming worldview of humanism, which—without beliefs in gods or other supernatural forces—encourages individuals to live informed and meaningful lives that aspire to the greater good of humanity.