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JABSOM Professor of Tropical Medicine and Chair of the Tropical Medicine Graduate Program, Dr. Sandra Chang, was named Hawaiʻi’s 2024 Immunization Champion by the Association of Immunization Managers (AIM.)
The award, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), recognizes individuals who do an exemplary job or go above and beyond to promote or foster immunizations in their communities for children and adults.
Since joining JABSOM’s Tropical Medicine Department in 1986 as a research scientist in the malaria vaccine development program, Dr. Chang has been a principal investigator on malaria immunology and vaccine development research projects. Notably, she co-founded the University Student Immunization Initiative, a proactive effort to promote immunization among students. Outside of the university, Dr. Chang volunteered to co-lead the state medical working group for COVID-19 vaccination during the pandemic to ensure providers had the right information before voting for implementation of vaccine related policies and procedures in the state.
Additionally, she served as co-chair for the vaccination education committee in the Vaccine Preventable Cancer Workgroup and led a community effort between the University of Hawaiʻi and local public high schools in establishing a peer education program to increase vaccine acceptance.
Dr. Chang is active with the Hawaiʻi Immunization Coalition, providing numerous educational opportunities for state partners and advocates, extending her influence widely throughout the state.
Selected from a pool of health professionals, community advocates, and other immunization leaders for significantly contributing to public health in their community, Dr. Chang was honored to receive the award at the 2024 Hawaii Immunization Update Conference on Sept. 4th, 2024.
”It has been my honor to serve alongside my colleagues in the Hawaiʻi Immunization Coalition to increase vaccine confidence and uptake. While much work remains to be done, we are all proud of the strides we have made to protect the health of our community,” Dr. Chang said.
Dr. Chang is the second from JABSOM to be recognized as an Immunization Champion. JABSOM's Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Lee Buenconsejo-Lum, MD received the award in 2022.