PROFILE

Prof. Dr. Mark Wahlqvist
President of IUNS, 2001 - 2005

Wahlqvist, Mark Lawrence, the Professor of Health and Behavioral Sciences at Deakin University was born 61 years ago in Australia. Wahlqvist, who is married with two children, is a vastly experienced medical doctor. He qualified first as a medic in 1966 with a BMedSc (Hons) from Adelaide University. Wahlqvist, to date, has to his credit, four degrees and five diplomas from colleges in Australia, Sweden and America. His work experience stretches way back to 1966, when he was first appointed a resident Medical Officer at Royal Adelaide Hospital. Wahlqvist went on to work in many other places, and in increasingly challenging capacities. He rose through the ranks, and at one time he was a researcher, rising to become a lecturer and later a professor at Deakin University. Wahlqvist has worked as a member of numerous professional committees and societies, both nationally and internationally. He is for example, a member of World Health Organization Expert Advisory Panel. At one time he was also a member of World Health Organization Working Party on Food Based Dietary Guidelines (1994). Other responsibilities that mark out Wahlqvist as a scholar of the highest international repute include his current position as the President of International Union of Nutritional Sciences (2001- 2005). Wahlqvisit has in the past been on the editorial boards of many nutritional and health journals, worldwide. Currently, he is a member of Editorial Advisory Board of Chinese Journal of Clinical Nutrition, and also on Advisory Panel of Malaysian Journal of Nutrition. In many of the universities and institutions he has worked, Wahlqvist's record is outstanding. At Deakin University, he was, for instance, the Chair of many academic committees including Education and Biology committees. At Monash University, he is a member of Advisory Board of School of Nursing and Palliative care among many others. He also sits on various committees at Prince Henry's Hospital/Monash Medical Center. Wahlqvist has been involved in the organization of scientific and professional meetings, such as the 4th International Conference on Nutrition and Fitness in Olympic, Greece (2000). There are also many reports and submissions credited to him including a submission on Nutrition Policy- Commonwealth Department of Community Series and Health in 1991. He is a member of many professional associations, such as the International Society for Heart Research, and the Royal Society of Medicine. Wahlqvist is an effective community group member. He has been the President of Diabetes Foundation of Victoria Geelong Branch since 1978, and even interestingly he is the Chair of board of directors, Bharastan Dance Company. Wahlqvist has worked in many institutions both at home and abroad. He has worked at Vallore Medical College Hospital in India as well as the University of Indonesia, just to mention a few. He has made several presentations both on radio and television in Australia. Wahlqvist has published widely and extensively. The publications range from theses, books, video productions, book reviews, commentaries, courses, occasional papers, monographs, reports and abstracts. He has contributed chapters in numerous books and his work is quoted widely in other writings. His work features in conferences, proceedings and also in the press.

* We ar Rural Outreach Program were privileged to host Prof. Wahlqvist in July 2002 when he came to attend the ITANA conference and the Food Safety Symposium in Kenya. Prof. Wahlqvist has championed the need to highlight Africa's food and nutrition challenges with a view to seeking increased support for the continent in these areas. Ed.