Dear Members of the HMS and HSDM Community:
On a recent visit to the San Francisco Bay Area earlier this month, I met with numerous HMS and Harvard alumni, including some from the college, business school, and the Kennedy School. While acknowledging what has transpired at Harvard, many alumni expressed their earnest and ongoing support and conveyed optimism that Harvard will weather the current storm. I was reassured and invigorated by my visit.
I’ve often thought of our alumni as compelling ambassadors for Harvard, who amplify the University’s impact through their many extraordinary contributions to society. They also serve as invaluable advisors during times of uncertainty. Indeed, my conversations with our alums helped clarify that Harvard and HMS are strong, resilient institutions that do much good work. As Interim President Alan Garber noted in a recent interview with The Harvard Gazette, Harvard’s strength comes not from its physical or financial resources, but from its people.
Back in September I spoke about the People of HMS during my 2023 State of the School Address. I’ve expanded on those thoughts in the 2023 Dean’s Report, published in December and now available online. The report articulates some of our most stellar accomplishments from the past year. Our excellence starts with all of you.
Meanwhile, our leadership at HMS continues to evolve as we advance scientific discovery, innovative medical education, and compassionate care for all. It is in that spirit that I share the news that Barbara J. McNeil, the HMS Ridley Watts Professor of Health Care Policy and HMS professor of radiology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, intends to step down from her position as chair of the Department of Health Care Policy. A search for her successor is underway, and Barbara has agreed to serve until the next chair assumes the role.
This moment marks the end of an era. For 35 years, Barbara has led the Department of Health Care Policy — one of the first of its kind in the nation — with unfaltering clarity and a commitment to improving public health through comprehensive health policy scholarship produced by multidisciplinary teams of faculty. Barbara is a prime example of what truly distinguishes HMS: she leaves an enduring legacy both within the department and throughout the nation, having established HMS as an influential force in health care policy.
As we begin to look ahead, we will welcome a celebrated member of our community back to campus. Yesterday I announced in an email that the rescheduled 2020 Edward K. Dunham Lectureship, featuring Nobel laureate Jennifer A. Doudna, PhD ’89, will take place on April 10 and 11. I encourage you to save the dates for these lectures, which will focus on the biology, technology, and applications of CRISPR-based genome editing.
Let us remember that people like Barbara and Jennifer — and all of you — give our school its luster and its far-reaching influence. The year ahead will not be without challenges, but I feel optimistic about what’s in store at HMS.
Sincerely,
George Q. Daley
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine
Harvard University