Abstract
The E. P. Pope Memorial Award is presented in memory of Dr. Edward P. Pope who was one of the founders of the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD) and who served with distinction as its Secretary-Treasurer from 1950 to 1972. The award was established in his honor in 1974. The Pope Award is the highest award given by the Association and is presented to an individual who has made noteworthy and significant contributions to the Association in regard to implementing and advancing the recognition of the specialty of veterinary diagnostic laboratory medicine.
The 2014 E.P. Pope Memorial Award was presented to Dr. Tim Baszler of Washington State University (WSU) during the 57th Annual Meeting of the AAVLD in Kansas City, Missouri. Dr. Tim Baszler is a professor of pathology and infectious diseases and Director of the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory at WSU. He is a board-certified veterinary pathologist and a mentor to pathology residents in the combined DVM, PhD program in the College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Baszler holds a BS in microbiology from North Dakota State University and a DVM from Iowa State University. After practicing large animal medicine in Fargo, North Dakota, for 3 years, he returned to academia and received a PhD in Veterinary Pathobiology from the University of Illinois. He joined the faculty in the College of Veterinary Medicine at WSU in 1990 and since then has been deeply involved in infectious disease research, teaching, and veterinary diagnostic laboratory medicine. Dr. Baszler has been a mentor to over 40 pathology residents during his tenure at WSU. His past and current research interests include bovine protozoal abortion, transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (prion diseases), infectious disease surveillance, and new test method development and validation. Working with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, he was instrumental in development of the eyelid test for scrapie, a widely accepted international assay for scrapie-infected sheep and goats. He has published over 85 peer-reviewed articles that have been cited over 1,900 times by colleagues across the world.
Dr. Baszler has been an active AAVLD member throughout his career. For the past 10 years, he has served the AAVLD in numerous capacities, including Northwest Regional Representative on the Executive Board, Vice-President and Chair of the Membership Committee, President-Elect and Annual Meeting Program Chair, President in 2012, and Past President and Chair of the Awards Committee. He currently serves as Chair of the Foundation Committee, and is on the Accreditation Committee, Pathology Committee, Financial Advisory Committee, Government Relations Committee, and Editorial Board of the Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation. Through the years, he also served on various AAVLD special committees for pathology and immunohistochemistry practice guidelines, workforce development, and interlaboratory methods comparison (sheep scrapie and equine herpesvirus diagnosis). He truly has worked tirelessly for the betterment of our professional association.
Dr. Baszler has represented AAVLD outside the association, including development of practical biosafety guidelines for clinical laboratories on the Centers for Disease Control Blue Ribbon Panel, and the Search Committee for the NAHLN Coordinator. He led a nationwide NAHLN project on validation and negative cohort testing of a meat juice assay for classical swine fever. Dr. Baszler currently serves on the Coordinating Council of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN).
Perhaps the most important change in AAVLD during his tenure as President was the approval of a permanent Executive Director position and hiring of the first Executive Director. This is arguably one of the most important advances for our association in many years, and has elevated the stature of our association to the professional level it deserves. Tim personally shepherded this change through the approval process, and the success of that process is a direct result of his hands-on approach, honest and straightforward presentation of the case, and personal dedication. Tim has dedicated himself to support for NAHLN at the federal level, efforts that have paid off with authorization language and a proposed dedicated NAHLN budget line in the Farm Bill.
He continues to be active in strengthening the NAHLN, the AAVLD laboratory accreditation process, diagnostic methods development, global food security through optimal disease surveillance, and training of the next generation of laboratory diagnosticians, and we are pleased to present him with the 2014 E. P. Pope Award.
A Word From Dr. Baszler
I am extremely appreciative of receiving the E. P. Pope Memorial Award from AAVLD. It is a high honor that I will never forget nor ever take for granted. The truth is I feel like I receive back from AAVLD 10 times more than I give. I have met so many dedicated, intelligent, motivated professionals through every one of my AAVLD activities. These fine and diverse colleagues, and volunteers, have taught me much about giving to a greater cause, being part of a bigger community, and contributing to far-reaching achievements going well beyond one’s education or employment. I would be remiss if I did not thank Washington State University for encouraging me to participate in AAVLD pursuits over the years, and valuing those contributions to the veterinary profession. Finally, being able to partake in growing the appreciation and competence of diagnosticians and diagnostic laboratories alike has been a truly fulfilling life experience for which I am deeply thankful to AAVLD.