Dr. Jane Bertrand named 2026 IUSSP Laureate

Dr. Jane Bertrand, professor emerita of Tulane’s Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, has been selected as the 2026 International Union for the Scientific Study of Population (IUSSP) Laureate - one of the most prestigious recognitions in the field of population studies.

Bertrand has spent 39 of the 50 years of her professional career at Tulane University, where she has made a significant worldwide impact in the research and implementation of family planning initiatives.

The IUSSP Laureate Award honors exceptional achievements in the population field, and nominees must exemplify the highest standards of professional conduct. The IUSSP Council elected Jane Bertrand as the 2026 Laureate in recognition of her numerous contributions to the advancement of population sciences and achievements in improving access to modern contraception in low- and middle-income countries.

Nominated by a group of distinguished colleagues led by Anastasia Gage, Bertrand was presented the award during the Population Association of America Annual Meeting in St. Louis on May 7. Representing Tulane at the ceremony was Professor Mai Do, Dept. of International Health and Sustainable Development.

“It’s not surprising that Jane was selected for this award, given her remarkable career and the lasting impact of her work,” said Dr. David Hotchkiss, professor and chair of the Department of International Health and Sustainable Development. "It’s hard to imagine a more prestigious award for someone in our field — congrats again!”

Dr. Bertrand’s career reflects a profound commitment to using rigorous scientific research to improve family planning and reproductive health policies and programs for vulnerable populations in some of the poorest countries in the world. In sub-Saharan Africa --particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) where she has made her most lasting impact -- her research generated evidence that helped change the Ministry of Health policies to reduce inequalities in access to family planning. She has contributed significantly to increasing the capacity of local health professionals to advance this work. 

She has worked closely with the DRC Ministry of Health to develop strategic plans that ensure successful family planning interventions continue over time. Her commitment is evident in her collaborative research approach, policy advocacy, and efforts to build local ownership of research and programs. Since 2010, she has secured over $68 million in research funding, established Tulane's largest overseas research office in Kinshasa, and helped to create the Patrick Kayembe Research Center for Family Planning at the University of Kinshasa. Her recent book, Fifty Years of Family Planning in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: The Dogged Pursuit of Progress, chronicles the setbacks, perseverance, and hard-won gains in one of the world's most challenging environments.

Bertrand is currently writing a book entitled When the Sky Falls: The Story of International Family Planning. Much of the narrative is based on a qualitative study recently completed in which she interviewed over 85 Tulane graduates who went on to work in international family planning. 

She is also continuing her personal challenge of “Aiming for 80,” a goal she set at age 70 to complete “eight annual extraordinary outdoors excursions,” so that by age 80 she will have completed 80 excursions. Current tally: 63 completed, 17 to go.

A virtual ceremony will also be held later this year for those unable to attend the ceremony in St. Louis.