Ronald Laessig Receives National Public Health Lab Award

The Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) posthumously awarded its 2010 Lifetime Achievement Award to Dr. Ronald Laessig at its annual meeting in June.

Dr. Laessig was director of the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene (WSLH) from 1980 until his retirement in 2006. He was also a professor of pathology and laboratory medicine, as well as population health sciences, at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.

Dr. Laessig passed away in March 2009.

The Association of Public Health Laboratories' Lifetime Achievement award honors individuals who have established a history of distinguished service to APHL, made significant contributions to the advancement of public health laboratory science or practice, exhibited leadership in the field of public health and/or positively influenced public health policy on a national or global level.

Dr. Laessig's wife Joan received a standing ovation when she accepted the award from Dr. Charles Brokopp, current Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene director and UW School of Medicine and Public Health professor of population health sciences.