Tim Ford, Ph.D., has recently semi-retired to Ireland, but he retains a research professorship at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, where he served as Chair of Biomedical and Nutritional Sciences.

Ford received his Ph.D. from Bangor University in the U.K. and spent most of his academic career at Harvard, where he founded and directed the program in water and health and gained an international reputation working on water-related projects in Mexico, India, Russia, China and now Haiti. Originally an environmental microbiologist, his research has focused broadly in environmental health and, more specifically, on exposure to waterborne diseases and survival of pathogens in drinking water.

Ford’s work in the U.S. has focused on drinking water systems, biofilms and both contaminated marine and freshwater environments. He left Harvard for Montana State University where he served as head of microbiology and director of a National Institute of Health-funded program to build research and training infrastructure in infectious disease and environmental health throughout the state, including all 7 of Montana’s reservation communities.   

Ford went on to serve in senior leadership roles as vice president for research and dean before returning to a more research active environment in the University of Massachusetts system. He was honored to be the first recipient of the Gen-Probe Joseph Award for exemplary leadership and service in the field of public health and received a concurrent professorship at Nanjing University. His primary interests remain around global health.