A top academic distinction with a strong symbolic and emotional charge is being prepared to be awarded by the University of West Attica (PADA) , recognizing the international scientific prestige and long-standing contribution of Greek-American Professor Perry (Paraschos) N. Halkitis . The distinguished Greek of the diaspora, who is at the helm of the School of Public Health at Rutgers University in the USA, will be awarded an Honorary Doctorate of the Department of Public Health Policy next November, in a ceremony that seals his strong ties to his parents’ birthplace.
The decision to award this highest academic honor was taken with absolute unanimity at all institutional levels of the institution, starting from the proposal of the Department of Public Health Policies, the positive opinion of the Dean’s Office and the final ratification by the Senate of the University of West Attica . Beyond the formal recognition, this initiative is part of a broader strategic collaboration, as the Schools of Public Health of the two universities have already signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the development of joint educational and research programs.
For Professor Chalkitis himself, this award touches the most sensitive chords of his personal journey. The child of Greek immigrants who arrived in the United States during their adolescence, he grew up in New York attending a Greek-American school , maintaining his unbreakable connection with the language and traditions. As he himself points out with emotion, his Greek identity has not only shaped his character, but has also profoundly influenced the way he understands his science, placing the person, the family and the community at the center of medical care.
At the core of his international influence is his groundbreaking approach to “humanizing public health.” For more than three decades, Professor Chalkitis has argued that health systems should not focus narrowly and unidimensionally on disease, but should understand people through their social context , their everyday circumstances, their inequalities and their identities. He developed this pioneering philosophy extensively in his recent book, “Humanizing Public Health: How Disease-Centered Approaches Have Failed Us,” which is a manifesto for a more inclusive and empathetic public health.
A leading figure in the American academic community, Mr. Chalkitis has held the position of dean at the Rutgers School of Public Health since 2017, while he is also a distinguished professor of Biostatistics and Epidemiology . His extensive research work — with six books and more than 300 scientific publications — focuses on the epidemiology of infectious diseases, aging and addictions, having founded the pioneering Center for Studies in Health, Identity, Behavior and Prevention . His enormous contribution was sealed in 2023 with the establishment of the Perry N. Chalkitis Endowed Chair at Rutgers, following a donation of $5 million, but also by his term as president of the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health in the United States .
Professor Chalkitis’ trip to Athens in November will combine his ceremonial inauguration with his active participation in the country’s scientific events, as he will be the keynote speaker at the 6th Panhellenic Conference on Clinical Psychology and Health Psychology . His return to Greece to receive the highest academic distinction is a bright moment for the Greek Diaspora, demonstrating how scientific excellence and a human-centered approach can serve as a bridge of inspiration between the Hellenic diaspora and the homeland.
