John Nwangwu facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Tochukwu Nwangwu
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| Born | 1952 (age 72–73) Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria
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| Nationality | American and Nigerian |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Epidemiology and Infectious Diseases |
| Institutions | Yale University and Southern Connecticut State University Previous/Other Affiliations: Columbia University, Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, Princeton University, National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Kern County Health Department, Loma Linda University, University of Nebraska, Dana–Farber Cancer Institute, and Erasmus University |
John Tochukwu Nwangwu is a doctor from Nigeria and America. He is an expert in public health, especially in how diseases spread (epidemiology) and infectious diseases. He works as a consultant for the World Health Organization (WHO). He is also a professor at Yale University and Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU).
At Yale, he teaches about infectious diseases and epidemiology. At SCSU, he is a professor of epidemiology and global health.
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Early Life and War Experience
John Nwangwu was born in 1952 in Umuahia, Nigeria. His father worked for the government's Public Works Department. John was the third of six children. His parents were from Ogidi and Umudioka in Nigeria.
During the Biafra War, John helped people as part of the medical team. He worked with the International Red Cross, helping the Biafran Army. After the war, he finished high school. Then, he moved to the United States of America.
Education and Learning
John Nwangwu studied a lot to become a doctor and public health expert.
- In 1979, he earned his first medical degree. He got it from the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
- In 1982, he received a Master's degree in Public Health. This was from Loma Linda University Medical Center.
- He then studied infectious diseases at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City.
- In 1988, he earned his doctorate in Public Health. This degree came from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.
- He continued his advanced training in The Netherlands. He studied at Erasmus University Medical School.
A Career in Public Health
Dr. Nwangwu uses his knowledge to help people around the world.
Working with the WHO
He works with the World Health Organization (WHO). He shares his expertise in infectious diseases and how they spread.
From 2013 to 2014, Dr. Nwangwu helped the WHO fight the Ebola outbreak. He worked directly in Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia. This was when the disease was spreading fast. He has talked about his experiences in many interviews. He was even in a PBS Nova documentary called Ebola: The Plague Fighters. This film looked at an Ebola outbreak in 1995.
Teaching and Hospitals
Dr. Nwangwu has been teaching healthcare workers since 1982. He has taught at many famous universities. These include Columbia University, Yale University, Harvard University, Princeton University, and Johns Hopkins University. He joined Southern Connecticut State University in 1991. He became a tenured professor there in 1995.
He has also worked in hospitals:
- He was the Director of the Tropical Disease Clinic. This was at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center.
- He directed Infection Control and Epidemiology at a VA Hospital in Connecticut.
- He was a visiting scholar at the Dana–Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.
He also worked for the Kern County Health Department in California. There, he was the Chief Epidemiologist. Later, he became the Director of Epidemiology and Data Management.
Professional Groups
Dr. Nwangwu is part of several important groups. These include:
- The American College of Epidemiology
- The Royal Society of Medicine
- The American Board of Tropical Medicine
- The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America
- The New York Academy of Sciences
Helping Others
Dr. Nwangwu also dedicates his time to helping communities.
Since 1997, he has led medical teams to Nigeria. These teams provide healthcare to thousands of people. They offer many different medical services.
He also serves on the boards of several organizations. These include MedSend, the Overseas Ministries Study Center, Faithcare Inc., Kateri Medical Services Inc., and Fanafi Worldwide.
