Dr. Ralph Hingson is the Director of the Division of Epidemiology and Prevention Research at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).  Before joining NIAAA, he was Professor and Associate Dean for Research at the Boston University School of Public Health.  He has authored or co-authored 170 research articles and book chapters, including studies of the effects of: (1) Raising the legal drinking age, (2) Zero tolerance laws for drivers under 21, (3) .08% legal blood alcohol limits for adult drivers, (4) comprehensive community programs to reduce alcohol problems, (5) early drinking onset on alcohol dependence, traffic crashes, unintentional injuries and physical fights after drinking, as well as 6) assessments of morbidity and mortality associated with underage drinking, drinking by U.S. college students ages 18-24, and interventions to reduce both underage and college drinking.  Dr. Hingson currently serves on the World Health Organization coordinating council to implement WHO鈥檚 global strategic plan to reduce the harmful use of alcohol. 

In recognition of his research contributions, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation honored Dr. Hingson in 2001 with its Innovators Combating Substance Abuse Award.  In 2002, he received the Widmark Award, the highest award bestowed by the International Council on Alcohol Drugs and Traffic Safety (ICADTS). Dr. Hingson is a Past President of ICADTS.  In 2003, Mothers Against Drunk Driving instituted the Ralph W. Hingson Research in Practice Annual Presidential Award, with Dr. Hingson honored as its first recipient.  In 2008, the American Society of Addiction Medicine conferred the R. Brinkley Smithers Distinguished Scientist Award to Dr. Hingson. In 2014, he received the University of Pittsburgh Legacy Laureate Award. In 2016, he received ICADTS鈥� Borkenstein Award for 鈥淥utstanding contributions to international cooperation in alcohol and drug related traffic safety programs.鈥� In September of 2017, Dr. Hingson will receive will receive a National Institutes of Health (NIH) 2017 Director's Award for his role as a member of the Surgeon General's Report Team for the recently-released Surgeon General鈥檚 Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health.