About Global One Health

Applying One Health to Global Health & Security

Global One Health aims to make the world safe and secure from emerging infectious and neglected tropical diseases by applying the One Health approach, leveraging the synergy of animal, human, and environmental sciences, to improve global health and security. The program contributes to advancements in service, policy, research, and education through national and international outreach, support for zoonotic research, and collaborative learning opportunities.

Dr. Gerald W. Parker Jr.

Dr. Gerald W. Parker Jr., ’76, DVM ’77, PhD, MS is the Associate Dean for Global One Health at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Science (VMBS). He was appointed to the role in March 2017.

Dr. Parker has a distinguished background in emerging infectious diseases, pandemic preparedness, and biodefense, having worked in the US Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Defense (DOD). He holds a joint appointment as Director of the Pandemic & Biosecurity Policy Program at the Scowcroft Institute of International Affairs in The Bush School of Government & Public Service at Texas A&M University.

Working across various departments, colleges, organizations, agencies, states, and countries, Dr. Parker strives to galvanize Texas A&M’s dedication to One Health by growing the institution’s stakeholder network and establishing the university as an emerging leader in global health and security.

Dr. Parker is a member of several advisory boards, including the Texas Task Force on Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response, ex officio member of the Bipartisan Commission for Biodefense, member of the board of directors for the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) at the University of Saskatchewan and chairperson for the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). He also served as a senior advisor for the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at the Department of Health and Human Services from August 2020 to February 2021.  

Before his appointments at Texas A&M, Dr. Parker held technical to executive leadership positions throughout several decades of public service as a recognized defense and civilian interagency leader in biodefense, high-consequence emerging infectious diseases, global health security and all-hazards public health/medical preparedness. This included coordinating federal medical/public health responses to Hurricane Katrina through Alex, the 2009 pandemic, and the Haiti earthquake. His service includes more than 26 years on active duty leading military medical research and development programs and organizations. He is a former Commander and Deputy Commander of the US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases. He held senior executive-level positions at the US Department of Homeland Security, the HHS, and the DOD, including the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Preparedness & Response at HHS and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Chemical & Biological Defense at the DOD. 

He is a 2009 recipient of the Distinguished Executive Presidential Rank Award, the Secretary of Defense Medal for Meritorious Civilian Service in 2013, and the Senator Melcher Leadership in Public Policy Award from the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) in 2019. Dr. Parker is a graduate of the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine, the Baylor College of Medicine Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.

Collaboration

The keys to Global One Health’s success are constructive collaboration and multidisciplinary partnerships. The Texas A&M Global One Health program deeply appreciates such collaboration with the following internal and external organizations doing significant work to improve the health of our world.