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The Daily OrangeInfectious awareness
Professor Andrew London's research puts the AIDS epidemic under the microscope
By Eric Meyers
Posted: 10/2/07, 10:04 PM EST Section: Feature
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"There was a lot of uncertainty," he said. "I was having very intense conversations with my family and friends about their fears, about my well-being and my own fears."
London's focus on HIV/AIDS as a research subject comes from a combination of biography and history.
When he began his graduate work in medical sociology at the University of Pennsylvania, his research focus became clear as the first medical articles were released about the epidemic.
"I started studying HIV and AIDS issues because that was the big health and society issue at the time," he said. "It was a personal issue for me as well, trying to figure out my own place in this epidemic and how to protect myself. Since then, I've been doing HIV/AIDS research for 20 years."
London, a sociology professor at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs is not only an HIV/AIDS researcher, but also a co-director of Syracuse University's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender studies minor.
London explained that there was an enormous effort put forth toward developing a minor curriculum in such a field.
By collecting courses from a variety of SU's colleges and academic programs, he has helped to develop one of the nation's top LGBT programs. He said that in a recent study to determine gay-friendliness of college campus, SU scored a rare five stars.
In addition to education, London helped organize the HIV/AIDS, Gender and Sexuality in a Globalized World conference on Sept. 27-28 in the Hall of Languages.
The conference has been a focus of London's attention for more than a year. As one of the main organizers, he invited many of the conference's presenters.
The conference featured lectures on photojournalism, child marriage in Ethiopia, tourism, contraception's place in the Quran and other topics, all focusing on the worldwide HIV/AIDS epidemic.
The variety is thanks in part to London, who drew on his 20 years of experience in the field. When one guest lecturer, Carrie Foote-Ardah, began her presentation, she took a moment to specifically thank London for his help while she was a doctoral student.
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