ALFRED K. NEUMANN, M.D., Class of 1958

My first position following an internship at Kings County was as a solo country doctor as a locum tenens in a small town of 700 and the surrounding farms in my home state of Wisconsin. This challenging experience increased my appreciation of our fine medical education. I decided, however, to pursue preventive medicine. Charlotte Grantz, a pediatrician, and I married and honeymooned pursuing Master of Public Health Degrees at Harvard. I then entered the Harvard-Commonwealth of Massachusetts Preventive Medicine Residency (PMR). On becoming Board Certified I was asked to direct the PMR. A highlight of this period was working on a Harvard sponsored nutrition research project in rural Ghana.

In 1965 Charlotte and I were recruited by Johns Hopkins School of Public Health to head up two rural health focused research projects in the Punjab in India. We spent two very happy years living and working in a small village together with our two sons. Our third son was born there.

In 1968 I was recruited by the UCLA School of Public Health (SPH) to head up the International Health Program. Charlotte was appointed in the Department of Pediatrics in the Medical School and soon also in the SPH. Subsequently we both became tenured full professors. At UCLA a very fascinating, rewarding new phase of life began featuring much international work but also quite a bit in the US, plus much family activity. My first major and favorite project was the Danfa, Ghana Comprehensive Rural Health and Family Planning Project. It became a ten year collaboration between the University of Ghana and UCLA, was a landmark project attracting observers from all over the world and outstanding graduate students to the UCLA SPH. This Project was credited with laying the basis for the University of Ghana School of Public Health. Another series of challenging endeavors in Africa were in the KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa where I was able to help facilitate the establishment of another School of Public Health. There were also a series of HIV/AIDS related missions.

Peoples Republic of China (China) activities began in 1983 as a guest lecturer at the Beijing First Medical School. Later the same year began a series of World Health Organization (WHO) assignments in China as a visiting Professor in Health Management. By now I have completed about 30 trips to China and 50 to Africa plus other countries.

At the UCLA SPH in addition to teaching and research and the customary activities required of all professors, I directed the Preventive Medicine Residency for ten years, was an Associate Dean and was active in the community. A very rewarding activity with Charlotte was service in 1972 on the first board of the new Venice Family Clinic and for many years thereafter. The clinic has grown to be the largest family free clinic in the country and is an important teaching resource for UCLA house staff. Also at that time, a favorite research project was “Success Research” which focused on a group of Cheyenne and Arapaho American Indians in Oklahoma considered by tribal members to be successful. The challenge was to ascertain what made them successful. The clear bottom line was good parentingThis led to decisions by the tribal council to expand investment in education, social services and parenting classes.

As for our family, we have three sons and three grand children.. The eldest never married and is working full time for a small privately owned security company and prides himself on being one of their best officers He lives near us here in Santa Monica.. Our No. Two son is a Managing Shareholder with a US law firm and heads up their Shanghai, China office. He is married to a Shanghai women. They have a delightful five year old daughter. Our No Three son is a primary school teacher in the Los Angeles Inner City, is a Top Level Ski Instructor and is married to a Santa Monica school teacher. They have two children, 5yo boy and 2yo girl. We remodeled our home to create in the words of grandson Spencer, “the side by side house” where they live. It is a happy and fortunate arrangement for all.

For recreation we have a townhouse located in the High Sierra Mountains where we enjoy skiing and snow shoeing in winter and hiking the rest of the year. . A few years ago we hiked to the top of Mt. Whitney, the highest peak in the “lower 48” at 14,500. feet. We enjoy live music and travel. It is my hope that Charlotte will really retire next year and only continue with her Africa nutrition/HIV research.

Many thanks to Alan Levine and Gerry Gellin for all their efforts on our behalf. Also thanks to Howard Brown for all the pictures and to the Alumni Relations Office. Most touching and deeply appreciated, however, is the In Memoriam and words about our deceased classmates. It makes me be humbly grateful for many blessings.