Presented by Wen-Ta Chiu, MD, Co-CEO, AHMC Health System (10-hospital health system), California, Chair Professor and Former President, Taipei Medical University, Taiwan, Former Minister, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taiwan

Dr. Wen-Ta Chiu is a neurosurgeon, epidemiologist, educator, and healthcare executive. Dr. Chiu is currently the Co-CEO of AHMC Health System, which is located and contains 10 hospitals in California, USA. He also served on the Board of Trustees for the University of Pittsburgh and Board of Visitors at Pitt Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, and is the Chair Professor of Taipei Medical University in Taiwan.

Dr. Chiu was the former Minister of Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) in Taiwan and the former president of Taipei Medical University. He has devoted himself for more than 30 years to epidemiologic research in Traumatic Brain Injury, collaborating with global researchers, including the late Professor Ronald LaPorte. His research facilitated the passage of the legislation of Motorcycle Helmet Use Law in Taiwan, which has saved more than 3,000 lives per year in Taiwan.

Dr. Chiu has published 486 academic papers and 31 book chapters in related fields. He has also obtained 25 awards and honors, including being the first Asian awardee for the David P. Roll Award from the American Public Health Association (2012). He also obtained the 225th Anniversary Medallion of University of Pittsburgh (2013), the Asia-Pacific Academic Consortium for Public Health (APACPH) Contribution Award (2007 & 2012), and Legacy Laureate of University of Pittsburgh (2009).

The 2022 Fall Seminar Series honors the late Dr. Ronald LaPorte, an emeritus professor of Epidemiology who had a unique and lasting impact on epidemiology and beyond. From pioneering research of Type 1 Diabetes and physical activity, his influence spread internationally with the establishment of an internet-based 'supercourse' in public health, available to all free of charge, and the development of the Modern Library of Alexandria. 

His work embraced many other topics along the way including care for the homeless and the study of geoglyphs from space. He was a faculty member in the Department of Epidemiology for 35 years and trained 35 PhD students who now hold many leadership positions in academia, industry and the government.