The impact Dr. William E. Keene had on the world of infectious disease outbreak is difficult to overestimate; he was an “extraordinarily able voice for public health and a leader in food safety for two decades.” We lost Bill very unexpectedly at the age of 56 when he was at the peak of his career; the hole he left in the universe has been felt by many public health communities.

Bill’s approach to foodborne disease epidemiology was both fun-loving and very serious, and it was out of this paradoxical combination that the International Outbreak Museum was born. Bill was inspired to preserve products (or sometimes just product packaging) that were recalled after being implicated as causing an outbreak. Eventually when he couldn’t source the real thing, Bill started crafting elaborate reproductions of recalled items (and discovered his inner crafter).

Bill’s family has established a scholarship in his name through the Oregon Community Foundation. To make an online donation please visit the OCF webpage and scroll down the page to find “The William E. Keene Memorial Scholarship Subfund of OSAC.” Click the “Donate Now” button right next to that to proceed.

Bill Keene Tribute Video

Stories about Bill Keene told through pictures and the words of his colleagues and friends.

Lifetime Achievement Award Video

Bill Keene was posthumously awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by NSF International at the 2014 Food Safety Summit.