Emeritus Professor John Lowe (left) receiving the 2023 President’s award from PHAA President, Tarun Weeramanthri AM (right).
Emeritus Professor John Lowe, Editor-in-Chief of the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, won the President’s Award at our 2023 Public Health Conference. Professor Lowe recently shared with us highlights from his career in public health, and advice for those considering a similar path.
What was your reaction to winning the PHAA President’s award?
I must admit I was stunned and a bit overwhelmed. The PHAA has been an important part of my professional life and being recognised for my work was a big honour and very humbling.
Why did you choose a career in public health?
To be honest, I was quite fortunate. I was at the University of Texas Medical School and took a course at the School of Public Health. I discovered public health and its intriguing aspects of driving change in large numbers. From that day forward, I took more courses in public health when I could, ultimately got my MPH and went on to obtain a Doctorate in Public Health. While being trained in medical school, I began to move towards my career in public health.
What do you enjoy about the day-to-day aspects of being Editor-in-Chief of the ANZJPH?
As Editor-in-Chief, I get the best seat in the house. I get to see the outstanding research that’s being conducted by our colleagues – it is exciting to see the remarkable work we do here in Australia in public health. I get the first-hand opportunity to read every manuscript that is submitted to the journal. It is like having a 10,000-foot view of what is going on in public health on the Asia-Pacific rim.
What has been the highlight of your career so far?
This is a very difficult question to answer. During my career in public health, I have had lots of opportunities in both the United States and Australia. From being selected on a panel to work on alcohol and drug issues in America, chaired by President Ronald Reagan when he was in office; to being part of a workshop on cancer prevention in Australia and Japan, chaired by Prime Minister Paul Keating and his then wife, Annita.
I was privileged to serve on interview panels for National Health and Medical Research Council projects and program grants, and during my time back in America, on National Institutes of Health committees. I was also a Center Director of one of the six United States Prevention Research Centers, within the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
While I have several hundred peer-reviewed publications, my most outstanding publication has to be an article on smoking during pregnancy, which was published in Glamour magazine.
What public health issue do you think does not get the attention it deserves?
This answer would have to be very time-specific to what is currently going on in public health. My answer, at the moment, is the establishment of a Centre for Disease Control and Prevention here in Australia. This cannot get too much attention until it is accomplished. I would welcome a manuscript that provides evidence that if we had an ACDC, COVID-19 might have been different.
Do you have any advice for someone considering a career in public health?
The strength of public health is that there are many pews in this church. Within public health, you have a wide variety of areas you can work. There are very few professions that provide this variability of options that all can make a difference to the health of the nation. I was unaware of public health and its careers, and after dipping my toe in, found that this was an amazing field of research and practice. My advice if you’re considering public health as a career – dip your toe into it.
Lastly, was there anything else you wished to add?
As I accepted my award as Emeritus professor from my university, the words of our PHAA CEO echoed loudly: the reason they call us Emeritus is because they cannot call us old professors. I have been extremely blessed in my career spanning almost 45 years in public health, throughout which I’ve been part of historical campaigns that made a significant difference. It is such a good feeling to look back and, in all honesty, not regret a thing – and to know the adventures will continue.
Editor’s note: Emeritus Professor Lowe will serve as Editor-In-Chief of the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health until his retirement effective 1 July 2024. The incoming editor is Prof Luke Wolfenden. PHAA appreciates all that Prof Lowe has done for the Journal and wider association and wishes him well in his retirement.
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