Academics

Recipients of 2018 Research Recognition Awards honored

HERSHEY, Pa. — The annual Research Recognition Awards honoring Penn State College of Medicine faculty were presented May 22 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 his or her 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.

Dr. Chandrika Gowda, assistant professor, pediatrics

Dr. Steven Hicks, assistant professor, pediatrics

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, professor, public health sciences

Joshua Muscat, professor, public health sciences

John Richie, professor, public health sciences

Reema Goel, research associate, public health sciences

Teresa Kern, assistant professor, public health sciences

Ryan Elias, associate professor, food science

Roger Anderson, University of Virginia

Alyse Fazzi, pharmacy

Steven Branstetter, associate professor, biobehavioral health

Marianne Messersmith Hillemeier, professor, health policy and administration; public health sciences; obstetrics and gynecology

Jiangang “Jason” Liao, professor, public health sciences

Junjia Zhu, assistant professor, public health sciences

Runze Li, professor, statistics; public health sciences

Susan McHale, distinguished professor, human development and family studies

Dr. Rebecca Bascom, professor, medicine

Dr. Ahmad Hameed, associate professor, psychiatry

Dr. Erika Saunders, 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, professor, medicine

Outstanding Research Publication

This award recognizes a groundbreaking research publication highlighting originality and impact that has contributed to the advancement of research.

Dr. Andrew Foy, assistant professor, medicine; 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. Steven Schiff, Brush Chair Professor, engineering science and mechanics; 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

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, distinguished professor, neural and behavioral sciences

Last Updated May 30, 2018