Congratulations to Florence Momplaisir, who was awarded a Society Citation Award from the Infectious Diseases Society of America!
The Society Citation Award is a discretionary award given in recognition of exemplary contribution to IDSA, an outstanding discovery in the field of ID or a lifetime of outstanding achievement.
Florence Momplaisir, MD, MSHP — associate professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine and senior fellow of the Penn Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics — has dedicated her career to addressing health disparities and ensuring equitable care through innovative approaches.
Appointed as the founding director of the Implementation Science Core at the Penn Center for AIDS Research, Dr. Momplaisir has worked alongside the Philadelphia Department of Public Health to identify gaps in HIV care and foster new partnerships between academic researchers and public health teams. She has called attention to the public health consequences of restricting syringe exchange programs and advocated for harm reduction strategies.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Momplaisir emerged as a key figure in addressing vaccine hesitancy, particularly within communities of color in Philadelphia. She traveled to community spaces to offer vaccine education and distribution. She published research examining drivers of vaccine hesitancy and op-eds on the historical roots of medical mistrust and the need for community-based, science-driven solutions.
For her leadership, scholarship, community engagement and tireless advancement of health equity, IDSA is delighted to recognize Dr. Momplaisir with a 2025 Society Citation Award.
