Mark Gearhart Award from the Association for Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine

This is a competitive award that had multiple strong applicants this year; and one that AVEPM holds very dear. Mark Gearhart (1956-1989) died in a plane crash in Sioux City, Iowa in July 1989.  Mark had been an active member of the AVEPM (then the ATVPHPM or “Teachers Association”) for seven years. He did his undergraduate work at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio then earned his DVM at The Ohio State University in 1982.  Both degrees were awarded summa cum laude.  Following an internship at the Ontario Veterinary College, he enrolled at Colorado State University and earned an MS degree in Clinical Sciences and a residency certificate in food animal medicine and herd health.  In May 1989, he obtained a second Master’s degree in Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics at CSU.  At the time of his death, he worked as a graduate research associate in the Department of Clinical Sciences at CSU and was enrolled in a PhD program in analytic epidemiology and dairy production.  Mark was very well liked and worked closely with dairy and sheep producers in the Fort Collins area.  Veterinary medicine, particularly preventive veterinary medicine, suffered a great loss with the death of one of its brightest stars at such a young age.  This memorial award was established to honor Mark’s memory.

This award comes with a certificate, a $500 cash award, and a speaking opportunity at the Conference of Research Workers in Animal Diseases (CRWAD) in Chicago, IL, January 22-24, 2023. Additionally, AVEPM will cover your registration for CRWAD and provide $500 in support of your travel to the conference.