Fauci Named American Humanist Association’s 2021 Humanist of the Year

Today the American Humanist Association (AHA) announced scientist and immunologist Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. as the 2021 Humanist of the Year.

AHA Executive Director Roy Speckhardt said, “We are honored that Dr. Fauci will receive our highest award at the AHA’s 80th Annual Conference. His unwavering commitment to accessible, evidence-based information and his robust communication to people about public health issues is commendable and necessary, especially in this critical time.”

Dr. Fauci helped lead the nation through the COVID-19 pandemic as a champion of science and reason during a time when we needed it most. His commitment to evidence-based solutions, making science accessible, and providing steady leadership that Americans could trust in a time of immense pressure and crisis (and in a cloud of panic and misinformation) makes him one of the many heroes of the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout the global pandemic, his push for evidence-based solutions and emphasis on the importance of science and reason has been a guiding light in difficult times.

Publically identifying as a humanist since at least 2003, this will be the first time Dr. Fauci has appeared at a conference with an organization in the humanist community. He has stated that he aligns with humanist values and said in recent interviews: “I look upon myself as a humanist. I have faith in the goodness of mankind,” and “I’m less enamored of organized religion than I am with the principles of humanity and goodness to mankind and doing the best that you can.”

He is the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) at the U.S. National Institutes of Health, where he oversees an extensive research portfolio focused on infectious and immune-mediated diseases. As the long-time chief of the NIAID Laboratory of Immunoregulation, Dr. Fauci has made many pivotal contributions in basic and clinical research and is one of the world’s most-cited biomedical scientists.

Dr. Fauci is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the National Medal of Science, the George M. Kober Medal of the Association of American Physicians, the Mary Woodard Lasker Award for Public Service, the Albany Medical Center Prize in Medicine and Biomedical Research, among others. He also served as the trusted advisor of seven U.S. presidents.

The AHA is honored to have Dr. Fauci wrap up our 80th Annual Conference on the afternoon of July 25th. The Annual Conference will be held virtually on July 24th-25th, 2021 and, in addition to Dr. Fauci’s remarks, will feature interactive sessions, inspiring speakers, and opportunities to connect with fellow humanists.

Don’t miss this opportunity to hear Dr. Fauci speak directly to humanists at the event. Register here to take advantage of everything the 80th Annual Conference has to offer.