Carnegie Mellon Honors 11 Alumni Making a Difference around the World

The 2024 Carnegie Mellon University Alumni Award honorees embody the CMU philosophy of putting their “heart in the work.” From revolutionary research that could be the key to treating neurodegenerative diseases to achievements in the performing arts to strengthening the bonds that connect the Tartan community around the world, these 11 alumni are making a difference through their service, philanthropy and professional accomplishments.

Among this year's nominees is Philip E. Castle, a 1986 graduate of the Mellon College of Science.

Castle is a world-renowned, transformative leader in cancer epidemiology, research and prevention. As the director of the Division of Cancer Prevention (DCP) and senior tenured investigator in the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics (DCEG) at the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI), he focuses his research on epidemiology of the human papillomaviruses (HPV) and cervical/anogenital cancers, science and translation of cancer prevention strategies, cancer screening, international health, health services research and evidence-based medicine.

Castle graduated from Carnegie Mellon with a bachelor of science in biological sciences and went on to earn a doctorate in biophysics from Johns Hopkins University. He began his career as a cancer prevention fellow at DCP/NCI while pursuing a master of public health in epidemiology at Johns Hopkins. He later served as a senior, tenured investigator and tenure-track investigator at DCEG/NCI, professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Population Health at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and chief scientific officer of the American Society for Clinical Pathology. Over the course of his career, he has conducted cancer screenings and treatment research and activities in more than a dozen countries on six continents.

Beyond his work at DCP/NCI, Castle regularly participates in the development of national and international guidelines for cervical cancer prevention and has served as an advisor to several ministries of health. He has published more than 500 papers on HPV and cervical and anogenital cancers and contributed articles to the New England Journal of Medicine, Lancet, British Medical Journal and Cancer Research, among others. His seminal publication in the New England Journal of Medicine on the need for an Essential Diagnostics List led to the World Health Organization establishing the list.

For his contributions to science and public health, Castle has received numerous accolades including a EUROGIN Distinguished Service Award; an NIH Merit Award; the Arthur S. Flemming Award for Exceptional Achievement in Federal Government Service for Applied Science, Engineering and Mathematics; and NCI’s Director’s Award for Outstanding Leadership of the Division of Cancer Prevention during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“When a Carnegie Mellon University education meets a passion for knowledge and service it is an unbeatable combination,” says Joanna D. Lovering, CMU Alumni Association Board president. “The way this incredible group of Alumni Award honorees are impacting the world through their vocations and service to others is an inspiration to the entire Tartan community. They make us proud.”