The Respiratory Health Awards recognize outstanding contributions and achievements in pulmonary disease, critical care and sleep health. For all awards, there is a special emphasis on efforts that have the potential to eliminate health disparities.
The Awards Committee is committed to equity and seeks a diverse group of nominees, inclusive of all genders, ethnicities, and disciplines.
*Please review the awards descriptions before submitting your nomination. Some descriptions and requirements have changed.
The deadline to submit nomination(s) is September 30, 2024
The 2025 Respiratory Health Awards will be presented at the ATS 2025 International Conference, May 16–21, in San Francisco, CA.
Descriptions:
Edward Livingston Trudeau Medal recognizes major contributions to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of lung disease, critical illness, or sleep disorders through leadership in research, education or clinical care, and acknowledges exemplary professionalism, collegiality and citizenship in the ATS community. The Trudeau Medal is the highest honor bestowed by the ATS and is given in honor of Edward Livingston Trudeau, a founder and the first president of the American Lung Association. The awardee will make 10-minute remarks after the award is presented to them.
*To be considered for this award, the nominee(s) must be an active ATS member in good standing.
J. Burns Amberson Lecture recognizes major contributions to clinical or basic research that have advanced our fundamental understanding of the basic, translational, or clinical approaches to respiratory disease, critical illness, or sleep disorders. This award also recognizes exemplary professionalism, collegiality and citizenship through mentorship and leadership in the ATS community. The Lecture is given in honor of James Burns Amberson, an international authority on chest disease and tuberculosis. When submitting nominees for the Amberson Lecturer, please provide possible lecture topics and comment on the nominee’s potential to deliver an outstanding 30-minute lecture with broad appeal.
*To be considered for this award, the nominee(s) must be an active ATS member in good standing.
Distinguished Achievement Award recognizes outstanding major contribution(s) that advance the missions of the American Thoracic Society. Awardees have made substantial contributions to prevention, diagnosis and treatment of lung disease, critical illness, or sleep disorders through leadership in research, education, or clinical care. The scope of accomplishments may also include advocacy, training, and mentorship. This award may recognize one major accomplishment or cumulative impact on the field. Up to two awards may be given each year. Potential candidates who are previous recipients of the Edward Livingston Trudeau Medal or the Amberson Lecture are ineligible for the Distinguished Achievement Award.
Recognition Award for Scientific Accomplishments recognizes outstanding scientific research contributions in basic or clinical arenas to enhance the understanding, prevention and treatment of respiratory disease, critical illness, or sleep disorders and recognizes exemplary professionalism, collegiality and citizenship through mentorship and scientific involvement in the ATS community. Candidates may be considered for contributions made throughout their careers or for major contributions made at a particular point in their careers. Awardees will make a 25-minute presentation on their research. Up to four awards may be given each year. The potential of the nominee to deliver an outstanding presentation should also be considered. Potential candidates who are previous recipients of the Amberson Lecture or the Trudeau Medal are ineligible for the Recognition Award for Scientific Accomplishments.
*To be considered for this award, the nominee(s) must be an active ATS member in good standing.
Outstanding Educator Award recognizes outstanding achievements and excellence in clinical or research education and mentoring in the fields of pulmonary, critical care or sleep medicine.
*To be considered for this award, the nominee(s) must be an active ATS member in good standing.
Public Service Award recognizes contributions to public and population health equity related to, for example, improvement of air quality, eradication of tobacco usage, prevention of lung disease, advocacy, improved management of communicable respiratory diseases, or improvement in the ethical delivery, and access to healthcare in areas related to lung diseases, sleep health, or critical care.
World Lung Health Award recognizes contributions to improving world lung health in the area of translational or implementation research, delivery of healthcare, continuing education or care of patients with lung disease, or related political advocacy with a special emphasis on efforts that have the potential to eliminate gender, racial, ethnic, or economic health disparities worldwide.
Jo Rae Wright Award for Outstanding Science recognizes demonstrated potential for significant achievement and contributions. This award is aimed at the rising generation of individuals who will be tomorrow’s leaders in science. An awardee should be at a career stage, which is at, or beyond postdoctoral fellowship but NOT above the rank of Assistant Professor (or equivalent). Most nominees will still be in a mentored stage of career development. In addition, nominees who have obtained independent (non-mentored) research funding (Federal or equivalent) should not be more than two years into their first award the time of the nomination.
*To be considered for this award, the nominee(s) must be an active ATS member in good standing.
Research Innovation and Translation Achievement Award recognizes outstanding contributions to the advancement of respiratory research focused on specific innovations to improve health by advancing practice, policy and health care delivery. This includes, but is not limited to drug/device discovery and development, implementation and regulatory science, as well as basic, translational, clinical, public health and health services research. The contribution should demonstrate real-world innovation with tangible benefits to address unmet respiratory healthcare needs. The award will recognize accomplishments of individuals as well as their role as a leader pursuing team science through collaborative approaches, both interdisciplinary and inter-institutional. The awardee(s) may represent academia, industry, non-profits or government.
*To be considered for this award, the nominee(s) must be an active ATS member in good standing.
Outstanding Clinician Award recognizes an individual who has made substantial contributions in the clinical care of patients with lung disease on a local or national level. The nominee must be a pulmonary, critical care or sleep clinician who spends 75% or more of their time providing direct patient care.
Nominees must be recognized by patients and families as a caring and dedicated healthcare provider and by their peers as having made substantial contributions to the clinical care of patients with respiratory disease. Nominations must reflect excellence in this area above all else.
J. Randall Curtis Humanism Award recognizes and celebrates individuals whose work reflects the ideals espoused by Dr. Curtis throughout his career of compassion, humanism and mentorship. Individuals should reflect these values in daily practice and to continuously strive to be exemplars of humanism in healthcare. This award will assess their professional and personal skills, and professional and academic activities that provide evidence of the following qualities and characteristics: exceptional mentoring skills, compassionate delivery of patient care, competence in scientific endeavors, respect for patients, families and colleagues, embodiment of the values of diversity, equity and inclusion in their daily work and life, effective, empathic communication and listening skills and service to community. When submitting nominees for this award, please provide evidence and documentation of the nominee's embodiment of the above qualities and characteristics.
*To be considered for this award, the nominee(s) must be an active ATS member in good standing.
Nominees for each award will be considered by the ATS Awards Committee, whose decisions are final.
Note: It is the prerogative of the Awards Committee to evaluate the nominations and to determine whether a candidate may be more suitable for an alternate award based on criteria and the candidate’s credentials.
ATS Code of Conduct
When the Society awards an Honor, the Honor reflects the Society's judgment that the honoree's contributions to, and effect on, the field are exemplary. The Society takes into account the totality of the individual's work, professional conduct, ethics and reputation. It expects those who hold Honors to embody highly professional and ethical conduct in their work and interactions with others during their careers. As part of that commitment, when submitting the nomination, nominators must include a statement attesting, to the best of their knowledge, that the nominee's conduct has conformed to the values and expectations in the Policy on Professionalism and Ethical Conduct, and there have been no allegations against the nominee to the contrary, except to the extent you have disclosed them to ATS in your statement. The ATS will ask nominees to complete a form for disclosure of potential conflicts of interest with the Society’s mission.
Dean Sheppard, MD
Chair
ATS Awards Committee
To view past awardees, please visit the Conference History.
For information about the 2025 Respiratory Health Awards, please contact Miriam Rodriguez.
