Excellence in promoting public health
Dr. Farhan Asrar has demonstrated outstanding leadership both as a physician and an individual driven to impact health on a global scale.
A recent graduate of the Master of Public Health program (’13) and a practicing clinical physician in family medicine and public health, Farhan has an impressive record of humanitarian and community service. In 2003 he founded the Orphan Sponsorship Program – a university-based initiative that raises awareness and sponsors orphaned children in over 20 countries ravaged by war, corruption, disease, and economic disparity. He has mentored students across North America, including the Waterloo Student Association, to start their own sponsorship programs.
A leading expert in space health, Farhan is the Chair in Health & Space for the Space Studies Program at the International Space University. He is currently leading participants from over 15 countries on a project to develop recommendations pertaining to public health and space.
The recipient of several awards from the Governor General of Canada; the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons and the Canadian Medical Association, Farhan is a passionate mentor and advisor for fellow physicians and medical students. He is the founder and editor-in-chief of Community Calling, a national magazine connecting Canadian public health physicians, and the author of several publications. His truly global perspective and collaborative spirit continues to inspire those all around him to strive for excellence in protecting and promoting individual and community health.