Meet the 2025 Winner: Stella E. Hines, MD, MSPH
Stella E. Hines, MD, MSPH, is an occupational medicine physician and pulmonologist. She has served as the chief of the Field Studies Branch in the Respiratory Health Division of NIOSH since June 2023. She previously was associate professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, where she remains adjunct faculty. She received her BA from Rice University, and MD from the Texas A&M College of Medicine. She completed her internal medicine residency at the University of Chicago Hospitals and her pulmonary and critical care fellowship, occupational and environmental medicine residency as well as her Master of Science in Public Health at the University of Colorado-Denver and National Jewish Health.
As NIOSH Field Studies Branch chief, she leads multidisciplinary (medical, exposure assessment, epidemiological and analytical) field investigation teams to study occupational risks for respiratory disease. Through this work, she aims to prevent these diseases through changes in work practices and policies. Her research portfolio includes extensive work focused on respiratory protection strategies to prevent exposure to infectious agents, such as pandemic influenza and SARS viruses among health care workers. Her work with reusable elastomeric respirators shaped health care respiratory protection strategies globally during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, her clinical epidemiologic research linking military exposures, including metals, blast, and depleted uranium, and deployment-related respiratory disease has advanced understanding of the health consequences of war. Her research and clinical expertise positioned her to direct the Baltimore VA site of the Post-Deployment Cardiopulmonary Evaluation Network, 2019-2023. Dr. Hines has served the Section of Terrorism and Inhalational Disasters as a member of the Nominating Committee, co-chair, and chair.
Description
This award is given to an ATS member with exemplary alignment, commitment, and support of ATS and the Section on Terrorism and Inhalation Disasters (TID) goals of advancement of current research efforts to improve our understanding of the pathophysiology and management of inhalational injuries, severe outbreaks of infectious disease and their impact on respiratory and critical care management, and to maximize disaster preparedness in the areas of research, improving public health, teaching, mentoring, and/or service (may include leadership). Individuals eligible for consideration at the associate professor level (or equivalent), <5 years of full Professor, or within 10-20 years from first faculty/investigator appointment. Nominations of diverse candidates (by gender, race/ethnicity, country, area of focus and primary occupation) are highly encouraged.
Criteria
- Associate professor (or equivalent), <5 years of full professor, or within 10-20 years from first faculty/investigator appointment
- TID Section member at the time of award acceptance (but not required at the time of nomination/consideration)
- Exemplary commitment to ATS and to advancing the goals of the TID Section
- Significant and sustained contributions aligned with the TID Section goals in the areas of research, improving public health, teaching, mentoring, and/or service (including leadership)
- Note: Award nominations may be carried forward for three years at the discretion of the TID Executive Committee.