Hygieia Medal

Hygieia Medal

Every two years, the Rudolf Schülke Foundation presents the Hygieia Medal to persons who have dedicated their life’s work in hygiene and microbiology.

The medal is named after the Greek goddess Hygieia. In Greek mythology, Hygieia is one of the daughters of Asclepius, god of medicine and healing, and Epione, goddess of soothing of pain.
Hygieia is the personification of good health, cleanliness and hygiene. She gave her name to the word ”hygiene”, which in ancient Greek stood for all–encompassing hygienics and health-giving life style. Her name is called on at the very beginning of the Hippocratic oath: “I swear by Apollo the physician, and Asclepius the surgeon, likewise Hygieia and Panacea, and call all the gods and goddesses to witness…”

This year the Medal was awarded to Professor Thomas Mertens (STIKO).

Laureates of the Hygieia Medal

2024

Dr. Bärbel Christiansen

Formerly head of Kommission für Krankenhaushygiene und Infektionsprävention (KRINKO), Germany

2022

Prof Thomas Mertens
Staendige Impfkommission (STIKO), Germany

2020

Prof Ursel Heudorf
Formerly Health Department City of Frankfurt, Germany

2018

Prof Philippe Hartemann
Formerly dean of the Medical Faculty of Nancy, France

2015

Prof Elaine Larson
Columbia University, U.S.A.

2013

Prof Sally Florence Bloomfield
Director, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

and

Prof William A. Rutala, Phd, MPH
Director, Hospital Epidemiology, UNC Health Care and Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases, UNC School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

2011

Prof  Axel Kramer, MD
Director, Institute of Hygiene and Environmental Health University of Greifswald

2009

Prof Syed Sattar, MD
Director, Centre for Research on Environmental Microbiology (CREM), Ottawa

2007

Prof Manfred Rotter, MD
Formerly Director Clinical Institute for Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Vienna

2005

Prof Hans-Günther Sonntag, MD
Formerly dean of the Medical Faculty of Heidelberg

2003

Prof Heike Bösenberg, MD
Formerly director of the Hygiene Institute University of Münster

and

Prof Knut-Olaf Gundermann
Formerly director of the Institute of Hygiene and Environmental Medicine of the University Clinic, Kiel

2001

Prof Heinz Flamm
Formerly dean of the Hygiene Institute of the University of Vienna

and

Prof Gerald Reybrouck
Formerly director Hospital Hygiene at the Catholic University, Leuven

1999

Prof Walter Steuer
Formerly director of regional public health department Baden-Württemberg

1997

Prof Günther Spicher
Formerly director at the Robert-Koch-Institute, Berlin

1993

Prof Joachim Borneff, MD
Formerly director of the Hygiene-Institute of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz

1991

Prof Ewald Kanz
Formerly director of the Institute of applied Hygiene of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, Munic and the department Hospital Hygiene of the University Hospital Eppendorf, Hamburg

and

Prof Theodor Lammers, MD
Formerly director of the Hygiene Institute, Dortmund

1989

Prof Hans Reber, MD
Formerly dean of the Central Laboratory, Kantonspital Basel

1987

Prof Ludwig Grün, MD
Hygiene Institute of the University Düsseldorf

1984

Prof Joachim Wüstenberg
Formerly director at the Hygiene Institute of the Ruhrarea, Gelsenkirchen

and

Prof Friedrich Dosch, MD
Formerly director of the Hygienic-Bacteriological Institute of the city of Vienna

1978

Prof Horst Habs, MD
Formerly director of the Hygiene Institute Bonn

and

Prof Bernhard Schmidt, MD
Formerly director of the Institute of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology of the Free University of Berlin

1976

Prof Karl Heiken, PhD
Formerly director at the Robert-Koch-Institute, Berlin