Distinguished Pharmaceutical Scientist Award




Distinguished Pharmaceutical Scientist Award

ENTERPRISE LEVEL

PURPOSE:

AAPS’ highest-ranking award, the Distinguished Pharmaceutical Scientist Award, is a lifetime achievement that recognizes an individual who has made substantial contributions to the pharmaceutical sciences that have had a lasting impact. The focus of those achievements is research and advancement of science.

IDEAL RECIPIENT:

Individuals who have been honored with AAPS’ Distinguished Pharmaceutical Scientist Award are scientists who have developed a body of work in the course of a career of service in industry, academia, and/or regulatory. Candidates are evaluated on the marked impact of their research in a particular area. Evidence of this impact is demonstrated by their significant and original publication of research in peer-reviewed journals and similar esteemed publications; completed patent applications and granted patents; expert opinions; and other materials that, taken together, describe the significance of their science and its impact. Additionally, noteworthy accomplishments such as the development and/or launch of a new drug; a leadership role in the drafting of regulatory guidance documents or service on ICH working groups; invited presentations at the national or international level; as well as achievement of national or global recognitions through prestigious scientific awards and honors, help detail a Distinguished Pharmaceutical Scientist’s accomplishments. 

Number Presented Annually: 1

Presentation: PharmSci 360 opening general session or similar

Award:

  • Award plaque
  • Up to 2 hotel nights at one of AAPS’ approved event hotels
  • Reimbursement for flight costs up to $500 domestic or $1,000 international (Recipient must comply with AAPS’ travel policy for expenses to be eligible for reimbursement)
  • Complimentary registration in year of receipt

Expectations for Recipient:

Recipients must attend PharmSci 360 and participate in the Awards Program presentation to accept this honor. They are also expected to make themselves available to help celebrate the presentation, which may include giving interviews and making presentations as requested by AAPS before, during, and after PharmSci 360. Potential recipients who cannot accommodate these expectations should not apply..

    

Nomination Type: Self, peer, or committee of peers

Qualifications for Nomination:

  • Member of AAPS for at least 3 consecutive years
  • AAPS member at time of nomination
  • 15 or more years working in pharmaceutical sciences as documented in a Curriculum Vitae or résumé

Enterprise-level AAPS award recipients will not be considered for additional enterprise-level awards in consecutive years

Nomination Package:

  • Curriculum Vitae/résumé
  • 2-3 letters of recommendation focusing on the impact of the career achievements of the nominee on the pharmaceutical sciences.
  • 3 of the nominee’s most impactful, representative scientific works, with a statement on the significance of each work to the pharmaceutical sciences.
  • Short written statement from nominator focusing on the impact of the nominee’s career achievements on the pharmaceutical sciences.
  • 2–5-minute video of nominee describing the importance of their work to developing products and therapies that improve global health.

Selection Committee:

  • AAPS Awards Committee Chair or designate
  • 3 members of the AAPS Awards Committee
  • 1 AAPS Fellow
  • 1 prior recipient of the award
  • 1 member volunteer recruited using an open-call process for those who meet requirements specified by the Awards Committee chair

Selection Process:

The Awards Committee will focus its decision on one question: How has the nominee’s lifetime of work impacted the pharmaceutical sciences in a particular area? Nomination materials must clearly convey the nominee’s scientific research and impact on the pharmaceutical sciences, especially a particular field, technology, and/or drug product(s) as seen in:

  • Quality and impact of publications and other scholarly products as described in the DPS nomination form.
  • Significance of contributions to the pharmaceutical sciences demonstrated through reviews, white papers, etc.
  • Evidence of recognition of impact in the form of national/international awards and honors as well as external scientific visibility such as invited presentations 

Distinguished Pharmaceutical Scientists' Selection Matrix

SELECTION CRITERIA

THE DIFFERENT CAREER PATHS

 

Academics

Industry

Regulatory

Mixed

Written Scientific Impact (Credibility)

 

 

 

 

Peer-reviewed Manuscripts (1◦)

O

O

O

O

Review Articles/Whitepapers/Expert Opinions (2◦)

C

C

C

C

Books or Book Chapters (3◦)

P

P

P

P

Patents (2◦)

P

P

NR

P

Key role in the discovery (patent), development and or launch of a new drug (2◦)

NR

C

NR

P

Key role in leading the drafting of a regulatory guidance documents (2◦) or member of ICH working group

P

P

C

P

 

Scientific Visibility – Internal and External

 

 

 

 

External Scientific Presentations/Speaking (1◦); International presentations and reputation

O/C

C

C

C

Scientific Awards/Recognition (1◦)

O/C

C/P

P

C/P

KEY
O = Outstanding (Activity is a key one; expectation is to be a widely cited scientist in that role)
C = Considerable (activity should be clearly present and sustained across the nominee’s career; contribution will vary) 
P = Possible (activity is a part of scientific publishing and visibility but varies with roles) 
NR = Not expected (based on the role; can add if the activity has been done by nominee)

Weighting of Criteria
(1◦) Primary/key activity
(3◦) Secondary activity
(3◦) Tertiary activity

Past Recipients


2024: Samir Mitragotri, Ph.D., FAAPS
2023: Mansoor A. Khan, R.Ph., Ph.D., FAAPS
2021: Kathleen Giacomini, Ph.D., FAAPS
2020: William J. Jusko, Ph.D., FAAPS
2019: Samuel H. Yalkowsky, Ph.D., FAAPS
2018: Nicholas A. Peppas, Sc.D., FAAPS
2017: Vinod P. Shah, Ph.D., FAAPS
2015: Alexandros Makriyannis, Ph.D., FAAPS
2013: Leaf Huang, Ph.D., FAAPS
2011: Valentino J. Stella, Ph.D., FAAPS
2009: Michael J. Pikal, Ph.D., FAAPS
2007: Nicholas S. Bodor, Ph.D., FAAPS
2005: Gordon L. Amidon, Ph.D., FAAPS
2003: Yuichi Sugiyama, Ph.D., FAAPS
2000: Wolfgang Sadee, Ph.D., FAAPS
1999: Joseph R. Robinson, Ph.D., FAAPS
1997: Ronald T. Borchardt, Ph.D., FAAPS
1995: George D. Zografi, Ph.D., FAAPS
1993: Robert S. Langer, Sc.D., FAAPS
1991: Dale E. Wurster, Ph.D., FAAPS
1989: Leslie Z. Benet, Ph.D., FAAPS