News

2025 Maurice R. Hilleman Essay Contest

Dr. Maurice R. Hilleman was a virologist who developed more than half of the vaccines that young children receive today. His work, credited with saving 8 million lives every year, was cutting edge. Even though not everyone will be a scientist like Dr. Hilleman, everyone should understand how science works because the resulting discoveries and advancements shape daily life. To celebrate Dr. Hilleman’s legacy, students in grades 6 to 12* from the U.S. & Canada have an opportunity to learn about Dr. Hilleman and reflect on a particular scientific advancement, its role in daily life and how it demonstrates the importance of all citizens understanding what science enables us to do and how.

New for 2025! Essay Contest Resources

Visit these pages to find helpful essay contest-related resources:

Student Resources 
Educator Resources 

The Maurice R. Hilleman Essay Contest is a program of the Vaccine Makers Project (VMP), presented by the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (VEC). The VMP provides free school-based materials about the immune system, diseases, vaccines, STEM careers, and evaluating information.

Visit the VMP website.
Visit the VEC website. 

Thank you to the co-sponsors of the 2025 Maurice R. Hilleman Essay Contest:

2025 essay contest co-sponsor logos

We would also like to thank Mrs. Lorraine Hilleman for her ongoing support and participation in the contest. 

Who?

Students in grades 6 to 12* living in the United States (including District of Columbia and U.S. Territories) or Canada and enrolled in a public, private, cyber, religious or charter school or who attend a home school pro­gram can participate. First and second place will be awarded in the high school and middle school categories in each country.
*Grades 6 to 11 in Quebec  

What?

Learn about Dr. Hilleman, and write a 500- to 1,000-word essay that responds to this prompt: “Not everyone will be a prolific scientist like Dr. Hilleman, but all citizens need to understand how science works. Use an example to discuss why this understanding is important given the role of science and technology in society today.” Essay should be written in English for U.S. submissions and English or French for Canadian submissions using complete sentences and appropriate grammar. One entry per person. See “Official Rules” for complete details. 

Winners will receive:

Cash prize: 1st place US$500; 2nd place US$250

Winner certificate 

Recognition at a virtual award event in May, 2025
Event will be hosted by Dr. Paul Offit – VEC director, vaccine inventor and Hilleman biographer. The event will also include special guests and student winners reading their essays. 

 

How?

Completed entries must be submitted online by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, February 6, 2025, or postmarked by February 6 if mailed. Submissions that are incomplete, do not address the prompt, do not follow the contest rules, or are not received by this time will not be considered.

Click on your country of residence to find out more and enter. 

“Public Health Journeys” podcast: exclusive premiere at #PHABCCon24!

“Public Health Journeys” podcast: exclusive premiere at #PHABCCon24!

PHABC is thrilled to premiere our podcast, “Public Health Journeys” on November 18th and 19th! Only conference attendees will have access to the podcast before we officially launch in 2025!

Join Dr. Shannon Turner, PHABC’s Executive Director, as she converses with high-profile public health legacies on “Public Health Journeys”! The first three episodes will feature:

  • Dr. John Millar: After serving as a Medical Health Officer in several BC jurisdictions, Dr Millar became the Provincial Health Officer (PHO) from 1992- 1998 during which time, among other achievements, he developed health goals for BC. Dr Millar has received several awards recognizing his contributions to public health nationally and provincially and has many publications to his credit.
  • Dr. Perry Kendall: Dr. Kendall became B.C.’s PHO in 1999. A former medical health officer for the City of Toronto and former CEO of the Addiction Research Foundation of Ontario, Dr. Kendall is considered to be one of Canada’s leading authorities on public health and drug addiction. He was co-chair of the task group on the feasibility of supervised injection site research and was instrumental in developing needle exchange programs and Canada’s first safe injection site in Vancouver in 2003.
  • Dr. Bonnie Henry: Dr. Bonnie Henry was appointed as PHO in 2018. As BC’s most senior public health official, Dr. Henry is responsible for monitoring the health of all British Columbians and undertaking measures for disease prevention and control and health protection. Most recently, Dr. Henry has led the province’s response on the COVID-19 pandemic and drug overdose emergency.

The podcast premiere is exclusive to conference attendees. Register now to gain VIP access at the conference on November 18th and 19th!

 


Final program released!

PHABC is pleased to share the final program for our upcoming conference, “Commercial Determinants of Health: Moving from Harmful to Healthy.” 

Download the program now to view our incredible line of speakers, presentation topics, workshops, posters and exhibitions.

Our commercial determinants of health (CDoH) niche themes include: digital democracy; food systems transformation; the responsibility of education within the public health sector; and more.

 

 


Renowned line of CDoH speakers!

Our renowned list of speakers include:

  • Monika Kosinska – Lead on Economic and Commercial Determinants, World Health Organization
  • Emma Rawson-Te Patu – Director, ManuKahu Associates, Indigenous Consultants; President, World Federation of Public Health Associations
  • Dr. Bonnie Henry – Provincial Health Officer, Ministry of Health, Province of British Columbia
  • Dr. Nicholas Freudenberg – Professor, City University of New York School of Public Health
  • Julia Gellman – Provincial Manager, Community Garden Roots
  • Drew Harris – Lead Support and Development Organizer, Skeena Watershed Conservation Coalition
  • Sandra A. Martin Harris – Indigenous Community Developer; Indigenous Focusing Complex Trauma Practitioner; PhD Candidate, University of Northern British Columbia
  • Stephen Huddart – Professor, Gustavson School of Business, University of Victoria; Director, Regenerative Economy Program, 2024 Victoria Forum
  • Dr. Daniel Eisenkraft Klein – Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Regulation, Therapeutics and Law, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital
  • Dr. Lindsay McLaren – Professor, Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary; Research Associate, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
  • Elena Petelos – Senior Lecturer, Evidence-Based Medicine and Evidence-Informed Policy, University of Crete and Maastricht University; President, EUPHA’s Global Health Section
  • Dr. Amy Shawanda – Assistant Professor, Indigenous Health Scholar, Department of Family Medicine, McGill University

For the full list of featured speakers, see the PHABC website.

We can’t wait for you to join us on November 18th and 19th to explore CDoH!

 

 


Conference Details

Dates: November 21st and 22nd
Venue: Sutton Place Hotel
Address: 845 Burrard Street, Vancouver

All non-members purchasing two-day registration will receive a free one-year PHABC membership.


 

 

About the Conference

The Public Health Association of BC (PHABC) is thrilled to announce the theme of our 2024 conference, “Commercial Determinants of Health: Moving from Harmful to Healthy.”

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), we are the first public health association in the world to host a conference on the commercial determinants of health!

We are working with WHO and the National Collaborating Centre for Determinants of Health, and other notable partners to bring you an excellent, innovative and educational conference.

 

Conference Themes

  1. Taking action on industries that affect health: marketing, risks, and essential goods
  2. Building public sector strength: considering regulatory and functional opportunities
  3. Improving business practices: creating policies for healthier markets
  4. Rethinking economic development: sustainable approaches and cultural perspectives

 

 

 

 

Final Conference Program Released!

PHABC is pleased to share the final program for our upcoming conference, “Commercial Determinants of Health: Moving from Harmful to Healthy.” 

Download the program now to view our incredible line of speakers, presentation topics, workshops, posters and exhibitions.

Our commercial determinants of health (CDoH) niche themes include: digital democracy; food systems transformation; the responsibility of education within the public health sector; and more.

 

 

Our renowned list of speakers include:

  • Monika Kosinska – Lead on Economic and Commercial Determinants, World Health Organization
  • Emma Rawson-Te Patu – Director, ManuKahu Associates, Indigenous Consultants; President, World Federation of Public Health Associations
  • Dr. Bonnie Henry – Provincial Health Officer, Ministry of Health, Province of British Columbia
  • Dr. Nicholas Freudenberg – Professor, City University of New York School of Public Health
  • Julia Gellman – Provincial Manager, Community Garden Roots
  • Drew Harris – Lead Support and Development Organizer, Skeena Watershed Conservation Coalition
  • Sandra A. Martin Harris – Indigenous Community Developer; Indigenous Focusing Complex Trauma Practitioner; PhD Candidate, University of Northern British Columbia
  • Stephen Huddart – Professor, Gustavson School of Business, University of Victoria; Director, Regenerative Economy Program, 2024 Victoria Forum
  • Dr. Daniel Eisenkraft Klein – Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Regulation, Therapeutics and Law, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital
  • Dr. Lindsay McLaren – Professor, Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary; Research Associate, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
  • Elena Petelos – Senior Lecturer, Evidence-Based Medicine and Evidence-Informed Policy, University of Crete and Maastricht University; President, EUPHA’s Global Health Section
  • Dr. Amy Shawanda – Assistant Professor, Indigenous Health Scholar, Department of Family Medicine, McGill University

For the full list of featured speakers, see the PHABC website.

We can’t wait for you to join us on November 18th and 19th to explore CDoH!

 

 


Conference Details

Dates: November 21st and 22nd
Venue: Sutton Place Hotel
Address: 845 Burrard Street, Vancouver

All non-members purchasing two-day registration will receive a free one-year PHABC membership.


 

 

About the Conference

The Public Health Association of BC (PHABC) is thrilled to announce the theme of our 2024 conference, “Commercial Determinants of Health: Moving from Harmful to Healthy.”

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), we are the first public health association in the world to host a conference on the commercial determinants of health!

We are working with WHO and the National Collaborating Centre for Determinants of Health, and other notable partners to bring you an excellent, innovative and educational conference.

 

Conference Themes

  1. Taking action on industries that affect health: marketing, risks, and essential goods
  2. Building public sector strength: considering regulatory and functional opportunities
  3. Improving business practices: creating policies for healthier markets
  4. Rethinking economic development: sustainable approaches and cultural perspectives

 

 

 

 

In Honour of John Horgan

Photo credit: Province of British Columbia/Flickr

Rest in Peace to the Honourable John Horgan. PHABC extends our sincere condolences to John’s family and friends. His service and support of our mission was unequivocal.

We acknowledge that many British Columbians will be grieving his loss. We share in your sorrow. We extend our gratitude for a life of dedication, compassion and service. He was a great Canadian and an inspiration to many. The majority of his life was spent in service to public good.

John leaves a profound legacy and impact on Canadian politics, service, and public health. We honour his life of dignity, compassion and pride in British Columbia.

 

Theresa Healy
President
Public Health Association of BC