Larry Brilliant
Larry Brilliant
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Full Name and Common Aliases
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Larry Brilliant is a renowned American epidemiologist, author, and philanthropist.
Birth and Death Dates
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Born: October 30, 1948
Still alive as of writing.
Nationality and Profession(s)
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Nationality: American
Profession(s): Epidemiologist, Author, Philanthropist
Early Life and Background
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Larry Brilliant was born in Patiala, Punjab, India. His family moved to the United States when he was a child and settled in California. Brilliant developed an interest in medicine and global health at an early age. He attended Stanford University, where he earned his Bachelor's degree in Mathematics and Biology.
Major Accomplishments
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Smallpox Eradication: Brilliant played a pivotal role in the World Health Organization's (WHO) smallpox eradication program. As the WHO's global coordinator for polio and smallpox, he worked closely with Dr. D.A. Henderson to develop strategies that ultimately led to the disease's elimination.
Polio Eradication: Brilliant continued his work in global health by joining the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation as a senior epidemiologist. He was instrumental in developing poliovirus detection and eradication programs, significantly reducing the number of polio cases worldwide.
Notable Works or Actions
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Brilliant has written several books on global health and philanthropy:
"Remote Control: Solving Conflicts in the Age of Surveillance" (2008) - a book co-authored with Philip Zelikow, exploring the role of technology in conflict resolution.
"When Everyone Has a Voice" (2011) - a memoir that recounts his experiences in global health and philanthropy.
Impact and Legacy
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Larry Brilliant's tireless efforts in global health have had a profound impact on public health worldwide. His dedication to eradicating diseases like smallpox and polio has saved countless lives. He continues to work as an advocate for global health, using his expertise to inform policy decisions and promote effective solutions.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
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Larry Brilliant's unique blend of medical expertise and humanitarian commitment makes him a respected voice in the fields of public health and philanthropy. His experiences and insights have been shared through various media outlets, including news articles, interviews, and books. As an expert in global health, he continues to be sought after for his opinions on pressing issues like disease prevention and response.
By sharing Larry Brilliant's remarkable story, we can gain a deeper understanding of the complexities involved in global health efforts and appreciate the dedication required to make meaningful progress in this field.
Quotes by Larry Brilliant
A 501(c)3 can't lobby. A 501(c)3 can't invest in a company or build an industry. It may be that the only way to deal with climate change is to create an industry or build companies.
This is not something that happens far away to people that we don’t know. Global warming is something that happens to all of us, all at once.
The great thing about gurus is not that they make you feel everybody’s love. It’s that they make you feel that you can love everybody.
In 1980 we declared the globe free of smallpox. It was the largest campaign in United Nations history until the Iraq war. A hundred and fifty thousand people from all over the world, doctors of every race, religion, culture and nation, who fought side by side, brothers and sisters, with each other, not against each other, in a common cause to make the world better.
I make a hundred mistakes a day. I am, and have been, and will continue to be, wrong about almost everything.
If there's a big problem and you've got the right people with you, usually the answer emerges and you do what's the obvious thing to do. I don't think of myself as some great manager or great leader. I've been very lucky to be in the positions that I've been in. I meet a lot of people and I've grown a lot of companies, and I meet a lot of CEOs at big enterprises. I'm always so surprised at how much they seem to know. It doesn't always seem to be correlated to how well they actually do.
Life didn't just happen to them. They experienced life at a deeper level than I had ever experienced it. I had been a radical, a left-wing politico, and meeting the Indian people made me realize that the politics of the left and the right were so much less important than the politics of the heart and the spirit.
This is not something that happens far away to people that we don't know. Global warming is something that happens to all of us, all at once.
The defining character of Steve Jobs isn't his genius, it isn't his talent, it isn't his success. It's his love. That's why crowds came to see him. You could feel that. It sounds ridiculous to talk about love when you are making a gadget. But Steve loved his work, he loved the products he produced, and it was palpable. He communicated that love through bits of steel and plastic.
If you don't put the spiritual and religious dimension into our political conversation, you won't be asking the really big and important question. If you don't bring in values and religion, you'll be asking superficial questions. What is life all about? What is our relationship to God? These are the important questions. What is our obligation to one another and community? If we don't ask those questions, the residual questions that we're asking aren't as interesting.