Faculty & Staff

For ten years, Ian Lapp has been at the heart of Mailman’s efforts to raise the bar for teaching excellence, mentoring, and academic programs. He’s spearheaded complex projects like school re-accreditation, while somehow finding unhurried time to befriend and mentor students, share a joke, and solve many a colleague’s problem. That ready hand, that infectious smile, that baritone voice at Grand Rounds and graduation will be missed come March, when Associate Dean Lapp takes on a new role as Associate Dean for Strategic Educational Initiatives at the Harvard School of Public Health. To honor Ian on the occasion, we’ve asked a few colleagues and students to offer anecdotes and tribute.  Lap it up, Ian, and if your face turns crimson, well, that’s about right for Hah-vahd.

From Amy Fairchild, Department Chair of Sociomedical Sciences

There are few people who have ever put together a PowerPoint presentation or had to lecture in a room where the AV system was less than reliable who haven't come to appreciate Ian's technical skills and general good will. But Ian was also there to serve on the intellectual side. He always saw the potential in any pedagogical approach, always understood the substance of what you were trying to convey. After working with Ian, I always felt that I had refined whatever little gem I had wanted to polish. His capacity to give so selflessly, to allow everyone he works with to make accomplishments their own, is the hallmark not just of boundless generosity, but also genuine humility. And it is what makes Ian Lapp a teacher beyond compare.

From Michael Sparer, Department Chair of Health Policy and Management

The heart of Mailman is its teaching programs, and for the last 10 years, the heart of our teaching programs has been Ian Lapp.  Ian is there as we think about our educational vision: what should a reformed curriculum look like?  Ian is there as we think about our current curriculum: how can I improve my teaching effectiveness?  Ian is there when we run into problems finding a classroom, solving an AV issue, or figuring out just how to navigate some bureaucratic hurdle. Simply put, Ian is always there, and he is there with a smile, a willingness to work hard, and a knack for figuring out the most practical solution.  I will miss Ian.  He is a colleague, a source of good advice, and a good friend.  But most of all, I wish him well.  I only hope Harvard realizes how lucky they are to get him!

From Emma Benn, DrPH Candidate, Department of Biostatistics

Ian Lapp has been a wonderful mentor to me ever since I came to Mailman. What amazes me the most about him is that he has always sought students’ input in order to make Mailman a better learning environment. In other words, Ian has been our “voice.” Moreover, Ian has consistently challenged me to not only make Mailman a better place while I’m here, but to also think about what type of academic institution Mailman needs to be in order to train the next generation of conscientious public health professionals and researchers. I have always admired Ian’s honesty and his accessibility. I have never hesitated to ask him for advice and he has never hesitated to respond. I will miss him, and I know that Mailman will not be the same without him.  

From Andrew R. Davidson, Vice Provost for Academic Planning, Columbia University, and Mailman School Professor of Population and Family Health 

Ian has so many terrific attributes, but let me focus on the one that has intrigued me the most: How does he consistently manage to give such interesting talks?  An Ian talk is an unlikely but fascinating web of academically worthy facts; references to high-brow and, more frequently, low-brow culture; interpersonal linkages; items with a tinge of affect; and aspirational elements.  I have been to Ian talks that included quotes from corny 80's pop music, continual nods to items NPRish (particularly the guests of Terry Gross), context-setting references to obscure historical events, and even (pre SurveyMonkey) quotes from Curious George.  In fact, a decade later, I can still recall that lovable, trouble-making monkey being discussed in Ian’s Columbia job talk.   Admittedly an "all in" move, but one has to give proper due when you can recall elements of a job talk after 10 years.  And that’s the point, Ian is a master communicator.  But where does all this mnemonic flotsam come from? The secret is that in the days preceding a talk, Ian first sketches out the logic chain, and then the fun work begins.  He goes into hunter/gatherer mode; he is literally on the prowl for the interesting, non-obvious links. I could see it in his eyes.  Over in the southwest corner of the 14th floor, we would be having a light-hearted conversation about nothing and Maria, Geri or I would refer to a film, an item in the news, or a TV character and "click" Ian would slot it into the talk, but only after prodigious Wikipedia fact-checking.

From Robyn Gershon, Associate Dean for Research Resources and Professor of Sociomedical Sciences, and from Halley, Tara and Lori, and all the R2 team

One of the many great things about Ian that we will sadly miss is his good-natured willingness to help out on all things great and small... and even silly.  Anytime we had a "tech-crisis," Ian was always there to save the day. And when we needed advice on pretty much anything, he was always the first one to call. Even if he couldn’t personally help, odds were that he knew someone who could. He always had a smile on his face—very refreshing! And really, you couldn’t ask for a nicer and more generous colleague to have. We wish him and his family the best of luck on their exciting new adventure!!  

From Diane Hepps, MPH Candidate 2011

There are only a few people in life who make a lasting impression and for me, Ian is certainly one of those people. From my first day at the Open House when I wasn’t sure if Mailman was the right place for me, Ian took the time to listen to my story and provide his honest insight and advice. From that day forward, he became an invaluable mentor to me, always making himself available whenever I had a question and never once closing his door when I needed to chat. He created an open atmosphere that allowed me to truly get to what drove me to study public health in the first place, and helped me find direction at a time when I was confused about where to go next. Ian has played a major role in shaping my student experience at Mailman and his impact will no doubt be felt many years after graduation. Those students at Harvard are lucky to have him!

From Daniel Herman, Associate Professor of Clinical Epidemiology (in Psychiatry)

Ian and I were rookies together; me as the new course director for the epidemiology core course and he as a new member of the Center for Education Research and Evaluation.  Together we shared the challenging goal of redesigning and re-invigorating this large and important course. Ian was a strong contributor to Epiville, one of the university’s first web-based teaching tools, which we successfully deployed in this course and continues to be used today.  I think we both appreciated the fact that though neither of us knew entirely what we were doing, but hard work, collaboration, and a fair amount of luck would see us through.  Ever since, I have continued to be impressed by Ian’s positive outlook, sharp intellect, and his unwavering commitment to public health education.  I’ll miss him greatly.  

From Liliane Zaretsky, Associate Director for Academic Programs, Department of Epidemiology

Ian has been a close friend for all 10 years he has been at Mailman. I have turned to him often to solve all kinds of academic problems, and he has never let me down. Ian was instrumental in helping the department revamp its core course, and worked with Drs. Lydia Zablotska, Dan Herman and Charlie DiMaggio to establish the course that is now the second largest class at the university. Ian has a unique ability to understand the culture in which he works. The great rapport he has developed with the faculty, administrators and students is what makes his work so effective.  I wish him much luck in the future, and will miss him very much.

Don't miss your chance to celebrate with Ian on Friday, February 25, from 3:00 - 5:00 pm in the Faculty Club.