Recipients of 2018 Research Recognition Awards honored
The annual Research Recognition Awards honoring Penn State College of Medicine faculty were presented May 22, 2018, in conjunction with the Dean’s Spring Lecture.
Started in 2014, the awards honor the outstanding research achievements of Penn State College of Medicine and Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center investigators who have distinguished themselves in several areas of research.
The culmination of the event is the announcement of the Career Research Excellence Award, honoring an individual who has dedicated their career to enhancing the research mission through education, mentorship and collaborative efforts to further advance science.
“We are so pleased to recognize some of the most notable research accomplishments of our faculty, who are dedicated to enhancing health through discovery,” said Dr. Leslie Parent, Vice Dean for Research and Graduate Studies. “We are proud of the impact their work is having here in central Pennsylvania and around the world. The original research conducted at the Penn State College of Medicine advances medical progress and allows us to offer cutting-edge medical care.”
This year’s recipients were:
Distinguished Early Stage Investigator
This award recognizes the work of an assistant professor within five years of appointment to Penn State, demonstrating significant growth and impact in one or more subject areas.
Chandrika Gowda, MD
Assistant Professor, Pediatrics
Dr. Chandrika Gowda, right, is seen with Dr. Leslie Parent. Gowda is one of two recipients of the 2018 Distinguished Early Stage Investigator Award.
Steven Hicks, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor, Pediatrics
Dr. Steven Hicks, right, is seen with Dr. Leslie Parent. Hicks is one of two recipients of the 2018 Distinguished Early Stage Investigator Award.
Outstanding Collaborative Research
This award recognizes the research efforts of a group of investigators that transcend the traditional boundaries of academic disciplines to further the research mission.
Penn State Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science
Jonathan Foulds, PhD
Professor, Public Health Sciences
Joshua Muscat, PhD
Professor, Public Health Sciences
John Richie, PhD
Professor, Public Health Sciences
Reema Goel, PhD
Research Associate, Public Health Sciences
Teresa Kern, PhD
Assistant Professor, Public Health Sciences
Ryan Elias, PhD
Associate Professor, Food Science
Roger Anderson, PhD
University of Virginia
Alyse Fazzi, PharmD
Pharmacy
Steven Branstetter, PhD
Associate Professor, Biobehavioral Health
Marianne Messersmith Hillemeier, PhD, MPH
Professor, Health Policy and Administration
Professor, Public Health Sciences
Professor, Obstetrics and Gynecology
Jiangang “Jason” Liao, PhD
Professor, Public Health Sciences
Junjia Zhu, MS, PhD
Assistant Professor, Public Health Sciences
Runze Li, PhD
Professor, Statistics
Professor, Public Health Sciences
Susan McHale, PhD
Distinguished Professor, Human Development and Family Studies
Rebecca Bascom, MD, MPH
Professor, Medicine
Ahmad Hameed, MD
Associate Professor, Psychiatry
Erika Saunders, MD
Professor and Chair, Psychiatry
Excellence in Education Research Award
This award recognizes scholarly inquiry and investigation related to education, educational processes and dissemination and practical application of research results.
Britta Thompson, MS, PhD
Professor, Medicine
Dr. Britta Thompson, right, is seen with Dr. Leslie Parent after the presentation of Thompson’s 2018 Excellence in Education Research Award.
Outstanding Research Publication
This award recognizes a groundbreaking research publication highlighting originality and impact that has contributed to the advancement of research.
Andrew Foy, MD
Assistant Professor, Medicine
Assistant Professor, Public Health Sciences
Comparative effectiveness of diagnostic testing strategies in emergency department patients with chest pain: An analysis of downstream testing, interventions and outcomes
Andrew J. Foy, Guodong Liu, William R. Davidson, Christopher Sciamanna, Douglas L. Leslie
JAMA Internal Medicine, March 2015
Dr. Andrew Foy, right, is seen with Dr. Leslie Parent. Foy is one of two recipients of the 2018 Outstanding Research Publication Award.
Steven Schiff, MD, PhD
Brush Chair Professor, Engineering Science and Mechanics
Professor, Neurosurgery
Endoscopic Treatment versus Shunting for Infant Hydrocephalus in Uganda
Abhaya V. Kulkarni, Steven J. Schiff, Edith Mbabazi-Kabachelor, John Mugamba, Peter Ssenyonga, Ruth Donnelly, Jody Levenbach, Vishal Monga, Mallory Peterson, Michael MacDonald, Venkateswararao Cherukuri, Benjamin C. Warf
New England Journal of Medicine, December 2017
Dr. Steven Schiff, right, is seen with Dr. Leslie Parent. Schiff is one of two recipients of the 2018 Outstanding Research Publication Award.
Career Research Excellence Award
This award recognizes the outstanding achievements of an investigator who has dedicated his or her career to enhancing the research mission through education, mentorship and collaborative efforts to further advance science.
Ian Zagon, PhD
Distinguished Professor, Neural and Behavioral Sciences
Dr. Ian Zagon, right, is seen with Dr. Leslie Parent after the presentation of Zagon’s 2018 Career Research Excellence Award.
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