Distinguished Alumni Award
William C. Knowler 68BA
William C. Knowler is deputy chief of the Epidemiology and field Studies Branch at the National Institute of Arthritis, Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases in Phoenix, Arizona.
He graduated from the University with highest distinction and honors in mathematics. He was named Most Distinguished Undergraduate of 1967 and inducted into Phi Beta Kappa.
Dr. Knowler graduated cum laude from Harvard Medical School and also received a master's degree in Public Health in 1973. He received a Ph.D. in Epidemiology from the Harvard School of Public Health in 1980.
He served as an intern at Faulkner and Lemuel Shattuck Hospitals in Boston and completed his residency in preventive medicine at the Harvard School of Public Health.
Dr. Knowler began as a staff associate with the National Institute of Arthritis, Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Southwestern Field Studies Section in 1975. He was promoted to staff physician in 1977 and became chief of the Southwestern Field Studies Section in 1975. He was promoted to staff physician in 1977 and became chief of the Southwetern Field Studies Section in 1979. Dr. Knowler also is chief surgeon in the U.S. Public Health Service. He is a member of the committees for the National Institute of Arthritis, Metabolism and Digestive Diseases and the Health and Nutrition Examination Survey of the National Center for Health Statistics in addition to memberships in a number of other professional associations.
He has provided consultation and presented seminars and lectures at Harvard University, the Indian Health Service, the National Eye Institute, the Mayo Clinic, The University of Iowa, the University of Michigan and several hospitals in the Phoenix area.
Dr. Knowler also is a consultant to a research group from the University of Hiroshima, Japan, studying diabetes mellitus and its vascular complications among Japanese immigrants to Hawaii.
His studies have been published in numerous medical journals and he has become internationally recognized for his work.
Dr. Knowler received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University in 1968.
About Distinguished Alumni Awards
Since 1963, the University of Iowa has annually recognized accomplished alumni and friends with Distinguished Alumni Awards. Awards are presented in seven categories: Achievement, Service, Hickerson Recognition, Faculty, Staff, Recent Graduate, and Friend of the University.