Ralph Budd, M.D., professor of medicine and director of the Vermont Center for Immunology and Infectious Diseases at the University of Vermont College of Medicine, was recognized with the 2016 University Distinguished Professor Award during the University’s 215th Commencement Ceremony on May 22, 2016.
Ralph Budd, M.D., University Distinguished Professor (center) is honored with his award by Provost David Rosowsky, Ph.D., (left) and President Tom Sullivan during the UVM 2016 Commencement Ceremony on May 22. (Photo: COM Design & Photography)
Ralph Budd, M.D., professor of medicine and director of the Vermont Center for Immunology and Infectious Diseases at the University of Vermont College of Medicine, was recognized with the 2016 University Distinguished Professor Award during the University’s 215th Commencement Ceremony on May 22, 2016. UVM Richard Dennis Green and Gold Professor of English Major Jackson, Ph.D., also received this award.
Budd’s achievements in scholarship, leadership, mentoring and service are among the most impressive on the University of Vermont campus. An internationally recognized physician-scientist, he has made significant contributions to our understanding of the immune system and his research on the mechanisms of autoimmunity has garnered him numerous awards and research grants totaling over $60 million.
A prestigious Pew Scholar in the Biomedical Sciences, Budd was elected in 2012 as a member of the Association of American Physicians, whose members are recognized for their pursuit of medical knowledge and advancement of basic and clinical science through experimentation and discovery. In addition, he is a member of the American Society of Clinical Investigation and a past UVM University Scholar.
Budd has served in a variety of leadership roles at UVM. He was the chief architect of what is today the university’s highly successful immunobiology program, and is director of a Center of Biomedical Excellence – the Vermont Center for Immunology and Infectious Diseases. A dedicated mentor and role model to countless junior faculty and students, he is a visionary leader who has gained the admiration of his peers.
The University Distinguished Professor Award, founded in 2009 by Provost John M. Hughes, is the highest academic honor that the University of Vermont can bestow on a member of the faculty. Holders of this title are recognized as not only having achieved international eminence within their respective fields of study, but also for the truly transformative nature of their contributions to the advancement of knowledge. Only 10 individuals may hold an active appointment as University Distinguished Professor at any one time. The University of Vermont has approximately 1,500 faculty.
In addition to Budd and Jackson, current University Distinguished Professors are Rex Forehand (Psychological Science), Judith Van Houten (Biology), Mark Nelson (Pharmacology), Susan Wallace (Microbiology and Molecular Genetics), Brooke Mossman (Pathology), Wolfgang Mieder (German and Russian), and Jerold Lucey (Pediatrics).