BETHESDA, MD, May 06, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Marquis Who's Who, the world's premier publisher of biographical profiles, is proud to honor John F. May, PhD, with inclusion in Who's Who in the World. An accomplished listee, Dr. May celebrates many years' experience in his professional network and has been noted for achievements, leadership qualities, and the credentials and successes he has accrued in his field. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.

Dr. May has established himself as a leading authority in demography and population policy, with a career spanning five decades marked by international influence, academic rigor and a commitment to advancing the field's relevance. Since 2020, he has served as a research professor at the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University in Arlington, Virginia, where he teaches both graduate and undergraduate courses, including one delivered online for accessibility. Dr. May's university contract has been extended, reflecting his ongoing value to the institution. He also maintains his connection to George Mason University as a research affiliate, ensuring continued institutional support for his research and teaching.

In recent years, Dr. May has been deeply engaged in creative scholarship and international collaboration. He is currently working on several major projects, including a chapter on Africa's demography for the French Development Agency, released in January 2027 following peer review. Dr. May is also writing a book in English for the Belgian Academy of Science, with plans for simultaneous publication in English and French. The book's submission is planned for August 2026 to incorporate new United Nations projections. Earlier, Dr. May organized a French-speaking demography conference at the Academy of Science in Belgium for March 27, 2025, which successfully addressed key demographic challenges of the 21st century. He continues to work with participants to resolve copyright issues and secure consent for posting presentations online.

Throughout his tenure as an honorary professor at the Institute of Tropical Medicine from 2021 to 2023, Dr. May contributed to global health discussions while maintaining active roles as a senior fellow at The Population Institute from 2018 to 2021 and an adjunct professor at Georgetown University between 2008 and 2019. His expertise was also recognized during his appointments as a visiting scholar at the Population Reference Bureau from 2013 to 2017 and as a visiting fellow at the Center for Global Development between 2012 and 2013.

Dr. May's distinguished service at The World Bank began as a population specialist for the Africa Region from 1997 to 2000, before advancing to senior population specialist between 2000 and 2008, and lead population specialist from 2008 to 2012. He also co-coordinated the World Bank Population and Reproductive Health Thematic Group from 1998 to 2001, shaping global policy initiatives during this period.

Among Dr. May's earlier roles, he served as a senior scientist and held senior associate positions at The Futures Group International for 10 years, beginning in 1987, where he contributed to forward-looking demographic analyses. He also spent 1991 to 1992 as the Andrew W. Mellon visiting scholar at the Population Reference Bureau.

Dr. May's international experience included his consultancy work based in Brussels from 1986 to 1987 and his coordination of population training programs for the International Union for the Scientific Study of Population in Liège, Belgium, between 1985 and 1986. Earlier still, he served as a United Nations adviser on demography and population statistics with the South Pacific Commission in Nouméa, Caledonia, from 1980 to 1983 and as a United Nations associate expert in demography at the Haitian Institute of Statistics and Informatics in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, between 1976 and 1979. Dr. May's foundational years included teaching high school in Brussels from 1975 to 1976, following his work conducting research as an assistant at the Catholic University of Louvain in Louvain, Belgium, between 1972 and 1975, while working toward his undergraduate degree.

Dr. May's academic foundation began with a diploma from Saint-Boniface High School in Brussels in 1967, followed by a bachelor's degree in modern history from the Catholic University of Louvain in 1973. He soon earned a graduate diploma in demography on campus in 1975 before completing a master's degree in demography in 1985. Dr. May's academic pursuits culminated with a Doctorate of Philosophy in demography (Summa Cum Laude) from the René Descartes University of Paris-V (Sorbonne) in France in 1996.

Throughout his career, Dr. May has been affiliated with numerous professional organizations, including the Population Association of Pakistan, the Union for African Population Studies, the International Association of French-Speaking Demographers, the Population Association of America and the International Union for the Scientific Study of Population. He has also been serving on the board of the Association Alfred Sauvy since 2013 and maintains participation on the scientific advisory councils for the Berlin Institute for Population and Development since 2015 and the POPDEVINTER since 2016.

Dr. May's scholarly output remains prolific. He published "World Population Policies: Their Origin, Evolution, and Impact" via Springer in 2012 and "Africa's Population: In Search of a Demographic Dividend" via Springer in 2017. He is also the author and editor of "International Handbook of Population Policies," Volume 11, via Springer in 2022. He also contributed articles to peer-reviewed journals, authored web articles, blogs, podcasts, book reviews, press articles and op-eds. Furthermore, Dr. May participated as a peer reviewer for numerous World Bank analytical reports and provided expert commentary through interviews and quotes.

Recently, Dr. May completed a paper on fertility in Africa, human capital formation and job creation, which will be presented at the Population Association of America Conference in St. Louis in May 2026 and at the Population Division in New York. He also co-authored a short paper on new U.S. population projections. Moreover, Dr. May has served on the editorial committee for Population & Avenir since 2020.

In recognition of his contributions, Dr. May has received numerous awards, including multiple World Bank Spot Awards between 2000 and 2008, the Chief Economist's Best Practice Award for the World Bank Africa Region in 2007, the Good Practice ICR Quality Award for The Gambia HIV/AIDS Rapid Response Project Implementation Completion Report in 2008, and the Global Media Award for Best Book in Population for "World Population Policies: Their Origin, Evolution, and Impact" in 2012.

A hallmark of Dr. May's career is his ability to bridge scientific integrity with practical policy impact. These qualities have earned him invitations as a keynote speaker, lecturer and presenter at conferences worldwide. His bilingual fluency in English and French further enabled him to collaborate across continents, while his extensive teaching experience distinguishes him among peers with less diverse backgrounds. Dr. May attributes his success not only to hard work but also to fortuitous opportunities throughout his career journey.

Dr. May credits much of his personal development to being raised by two aunts whose influence fostered deep respect for women's contributions both personally and professionally. He has consistently championed gender equity within demography throughout his career. Reflecting on his life's work, Dr. May hopes his legacy will be remembered as one defined by scientific integrity combined with impactful projects that have helped countries develop effective population policies worldwide.

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