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Awards

Each year, the Aging & Public Health Section highlights aging issues and recognizes those who have taken positive action in support of older adults at the APHA Annual Meeting.

For more information, contact Lola Adepoju or Reza Amini

View our 2015 Awards Program, 2016 Awards Program, 2017 Awards Program, and 2018 Awards Program for the list of winners!

 

2023 Award Winners

Phillip G. Weiler Award for Leadership in Aging and Public Health

Isis Mikhail, MD, MPH, DrPH, National Institute on Aging (retired)

Steven Wallace Emerging Advocate Award

Rebecca Payne, MPH, MURP, Health By Design

Cora Funk, University of Tennessee, Knoxville (Honorable Mention)

Archstone Foundation Award for Excellence in Program Innovation

“Heart to Heart”, accepted by Gary Lee, MD, Chinese American Coalition for Compassionate Care, Cupertino, CA

(Presented by Jasmine DeGuzman Lacsamana, MPH, of the Archstone Foundation)

 

Research Paper Awards

Aetna Award for Excellence in Research on Older Women and Public Health

Tanner B. Heaton, MD Student, School of Medicine, University of Utah

Amanda Emerson, PhD, School of Nursing, University of Kansas Medical Center (Honorable Mention)

Kia Skrine Jeffers, PhD, RN, PhN, UCLA School of Nursing (Honorable Mention)

Betty J. Cleckley Minority Issues Research Award

R. Turner Goins PhD, MS, College of Health and Human Sciences, Western Carolina University

Elham Mahmoudi, PhD, Associate Professor, University of Michigan Medical School (Honorable Mention)

Erickson Foundation Research Award in Positive Aging

Jennifer Lyn Shaw, PhD, Southcentral Foundation, Research Department, Anchorage, AK

Matthew Lee Smith, PhD, Department of Health Behavior, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University and Sheryl Flynn, PhD/PT, Blue Marble Health (Honorable Mention)

Nabuo Maeda International Research Award

Preshit N. Ambade, DrPH, School of Public Health, Augusta University

Ning Sun, MPH, Robert Stempel College of Public Health, Florida International University (Honorable Mention)

Rural and Environment Research Award

(Co-Winners:)

Hoimonty Mzumder, PhD Student, School of Public Health, The University of Memphis

Nasim Ferdows, PhD, Assistant Professor, Northeastern University

 

New Investigator and Student Awards

James G. Zimmer New Investigator Research Award

Xiangjun Zhang, PhD, Postdoctoral Scholar, University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Pharmacy

Gabriel Schwartz, PhD, Assistant Professor, Drexel University’s Dornsife School of Public Health (Honorable Mention)

Laurence G. Branch Doctoral Student Research Award

Lena Thompson, PhD, Postdoctoral Associate, University of Minnesota Duluth Medical School

Imani J. Canton, MS, PhD Candidate, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Masters Student Research Award

Sherry Wu, MPH, University of Washington School of Public Health

Lydia Burton, MPH, Institute of Gerontology, University of Georgia (Honorable Mention)

 

Cumulative Achievement Awards

Steven Wallace Lifetime Achievement Award

The Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to an outstanding individual with a 20-year or longer career and who has made a significant contribution to public service, scholarship, or science in the areas of geriatrics and gerontology.  This award is named after a longtime Section leader, Dr. Steve Wallace, who passed away in 2021.  

Philip G. Weiler Award For Leadership in Aging and Public Health

The Philip G. Weiler Award for Leadership in Aging and Public Health is presented to an outstanding person or organization who has made significant contributions to the field through policy, research, education, or service and has contributed to the Section through leadership activities or funding and policy initiatives.

 

Best Scientific Papers at APHA Annual Meeting

Susan B. Anthony Aetna Award for Excellence in Research on Older Women and Public Health

Women are the majority of care recipients and caregivers and have longer life expectancies. As a result, long-term care and health care in general are top issues of concern for women today. An overriding goal of the award program is to recognize individuals who make a significant contribution to research on older women and public health.

Erickson Foundation Research Award in Positive Aging

This award recognizes high-caliber research that significantly advances our understanding of physical, social, psychological, financial, and/or civic dimensions of positive aging on either the individual or community level. This research should enhance the impact of such scientific advances on public policy.

Nobuo Maeda International Research Award

This award is for International research topics. The award is intended to recognize and further the career of leaders in international research and policy development.

Betty J. Cleckley Minority Issues Research Award

The purpose of the award is to recognize individuals in aging and public health research who have made a significant impact on the lives of older people who are members of minority groups. Minimizing health disparities and improving access to health and long-term care services are important issues for minority populations in the U.S.

Aging Public Health- Rural and Environment Research Award

The purpose of the award is to recognize individuals in public health research who have made a significant difference to understanding the impact that rural location and/or environment have on aging and public health. Research can focus on rural issues and environment issues separately or jointly on both areas.

James G. Zimmer New Investigator Research Award

This award is given to new investigators in recognition of past excellence and promise of future excellence in research. A “new investigator” is defined as someone who is within five years of completion of his or her terminal degree. The award is intended to recognize and further the careers of future leaders in research.

Laurence G. Branch Doctoral Student Research Award and the Masters Student Research Award

These two awards honor outstanding students for exceptional research during their training. Individuals honored by these awards have completed a research project as a student. Research projects are completed in the areas of gerontology, aging, chronic illness and disability in adults, long-term care, or geriatrics.