OVC alumnus Dr. H. Morgan Scott named 2027 recipient of prestigious Schwabe Award
An Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) alumnus has been recognized with one of the highest honours in veterinary public health and epidemiology. Dr. H. Morgan Scott (PhD ’98) has been named the 2027 recipient of the Calvin W. Schwabe Award, presented annually by the Association for Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine (AVEPM).
The award recognizes outstanding lifetime contributions to the field of veterinary epidemiology and preventive medicine. It is named in honour of Dr. Calvin W. Schwabe, widely regarded as the father of veterinary epidemiology. Dr. Schwabe was a professor of epidemiology at the University of California, Davis, and established the first department and graduate program in epidemiology within a veterinary school. His scholarly work spanned epidemiology, zoonotic diseases, public health, tropical medicine and the philosophy of science. In the 1980s, he coined the term “One Medicine,” a concept that continues to shape global approaches to human and animal health.
Scott will be presented with the award at the 2027 Schwabe Symposium, scheduled to take place during the Conference of Research Workers in Animal Diseases (CRWAD) in Chicago, Illinois early next year. The Symposium will celebrate Scott’s career and contributions.
A graduate of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (DVM ’88), Scott went on to complete his PhD in epidemiology in the Department of Population Medicine at OVC in 1998, followed by postdoctoral training in public health at the University of Alberta. His doctoral co-advisors were Dr. Colin Soskolne and Dr. S. Wayne Martin — a connection that makes the recognition especially meaningful.
“Dr. Martin was an early recipient of this same award, and several other of his PhD students have been recipients over the years,” says Scott. “Calvin Schwabe was Dr. Martin’s PhD advisor at UC Davis, so it has been an honour to learn from those who hold such expertise in the field.”
During his career, Scott has secured more than USD $7.5 million in competitive extramural research funding as principal investigator and an additional USD $9.7 million as co-investigator. His research program focuses primarily on antimicrobial resistance in food animal production systems, with a particular interest in how resistant bacteria emerge, persist and spread across interconnected populations of animals, food products and humans.
Working across molecular, ecological and sociological perspectives, Scott has sought not only to understand antimicrobial resistance but also to identify practical, cost-effective mitigation strategies in modern agricultural systems. His work has informed management practices aimed at protecting both animal and human health.
Reflecting on the recognition, Scott emphasized the personal significance of the award.
“I am incredibly honoured to have been nominated and then selected by my peers for this award,” he says. “Like most of my colleagues of a similar vintage, I came of age with articles and textbooks by Calvin Schwabe and Wayne Martin on my desk and bookshelf. To be considered for similar recognition as was previously awarded to these two and many others of their professional standing is an unexpected but welcome surprise.”
For OVC, the award highlights the lasting global impact of its graduate training programs and the leadership of its alumni in advancing One Health and population medicine. Scott joins a distinguished group of international scholars whose work continues to shape how veterinary science contributes to public health, food safety and disease prevention worldwide.
