LEADING THE WAY IN GLOBAL ONE HEALTH
The Texas A&M Global One Health Program aims to make the world safe and secure from emerging infectious diseases with pandemic potential by emphasizing a One Health approach—the synergy of animal, human, and environmental sciences—to global health and security. Through Global One Health's national and international reach, collaborative advancements in zoonotic One Health research, and building of interdisciplinary learning environments, the program continues to make advancements in policy, research, education, and service. In fiscal year 2021, the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak continues to bring operational challenges to the university, state, nation, and global community, demonstrating the relevance of One Health to global health security, to bringing an end to COVID-19, and to initiating sustained pandemic and public health preparedness planning to prevent this from happening again.
Leadership The program acts as Texas A&M University’s focal point and university ambassador for key state, national, and international organizations, including the Coalition of Universities for Global Health, the Global Health Security Agenda Consortium steering group, the One Health Commission, the Bipartisan Commission for Biodefense, the Texas Task Force for Infectious Disease Preparedness & Response, the Texas Department of State Health Services Expert Vaccine Allocation Panel, and the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity. The Associate Dean of Global One Health, Dr. Gerald W. Parker, Jr., holds a joint appointment as Director of the Pandemic and Biosecurity Policy Program at the Scowcroft Institute of International Affairs within the Bush School of Government & Public Service that links the education, research, and service missions of the two colleges together. The Pandemic and Biosecurity Policy Program brings together global thought leaders on pandemic and biosecurity policies providing strategic direction and policy options to government, non-governmental organization, university, and industry leaders. Major emphasis is placed on the promotion and application of One Health as a national and global security imperative and seeks to elevate One Health into the lexicon of national policy leaders. When the COVID-19 pandemic emerged in Wuhan in the fall of 2019 and Dr. Gerald W. Parker, Jr. threatened regional and eventual global spread, Parker assumed an active response role on campus and at local, state, and national levels that continues today. He catalyzed the establishment of the Texas A&M University Emergency Management Advisory Group and serves as the co-chair with the Senior Associate Vice President for Research. Parker served on the Texas A&M COVID Contingency Council and has provided strategic advice to Brazos County and Texas public health and emergency management authorities. Parker was also asked to assist with the U.S. federal response to COVID-19 and was detailed to Washington, D.C., to serve as the senior advisor to the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) in the Department of Health and Human Services. In that role, Parker supported Operation Warp Speed and COVID vaccine distribution and allocation planning; the deployment of federal medical teams and material; the updating and promulgating altered standards of care policies for hospitals; and organizational leadership within ASPR during a tremendous surge of medical and public health requirements that were needed to augment state and local communities. While still at ASPR, Parker was tapped to serve, and he continues to serve, on the Texas Experts Vaccine Allocation Panel responsible for making 2021 CVMBS Annual Report • 33
