AY 2023 Awards and Honors

Patricia (Trysha) Ahern, associate director of Pediatric Infectious Diseases and administrative director of Research and Finance for Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Neonatal Medicine Research, and Susan Norris, senior policy officer in the Student Affairs Office, received the 2023 Perkins Award, which is presented annually by BU’s Faculty Council in recognition of staff distinguished service to the University.

Emelia Benjamin, MD, ScM, received the American Heart Association’s 2022 Distinguished Scientist award. She also received the 2023 Wenger Award for Excellence in Medical Research from WomenHeart, the National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease, for her commitment to improving the lives of women living with or at risk for heart disease as well as her countless peer-reviewed articles on cardiovascular disease that have contributed greatly to women’s heart health, particularly to the knowledge of atrial fibrillation.

Toby C. Chai, MD, chair of urology, was elected a trustee of the American Board of Urology.

David L. Coleman, MD, emeritus professor of Medicine, was elected chair of the ABIM Foundation. The Board oversees the Foundation’s efforts to advance medical professionalism, and members are national health care leaders, several of whom currently serve or have served on ABIM’s Board of Directors. Additionally, Coleman received the 2023 Larry Zaroff Man of Good Conscience Award, which is presented annually to a man who has been a champion and supporter of women in medicine.

Kate Flewelling, director of the Alumni Medical Library, was appointed chair of the Program and Education Committee (PEC) for the Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries (AAHSL).

David M. Greer, MD, chair of neurology, was elected secretary of the Neurocritical Care Society. Greer’s responsibilities will incrementally increase over the next four years, as he will then serve as treasurer, vice president and president of the society.

Ali Guermazi, MD, PhD, MSc, professor of radiology, received the 2022 Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) Alexander R. Margulis Award for Scientific Excellence for the Radiology article, “Improving Radiographic Fracture Recognition Performance and Efficiency Using Artificial Intelligence.” 

Karsten Lunze, MD, MPH, DrPH, assistant professor of medicine, received an honorary professorship from David Tvildiani Medical University (DTMU) in Tbilisi, Georgia. 

Brian Marx, PhD, professor of psychiatry, VA Boston HCS clinical psychologist and deputy director of the Behavioral Science Division of VA’s National Center for PTSD, received the Robert S. Laufer Award for Outstanding Scientific Achievement. The award is given to an individual or group who has made an outstanding contribution to research in the field of traumatic stress.

Joseph P. Mizgerd, ScD, the Jerome S. Brody, MD, professor of pulmonary medicine and director of the Pulmonary Center, received the annual American Thoracic Society’s Recognition Award for Scientific Accomplishments. The honor 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, while acknowledging exemplary professionalism, collegiality and citizenship through mentorship and scientific involvement in the ATS community.

Seungbin Oh, PhD, LPC, NCC, assistant professor of psychiatry, received the 2023 American Counseling Association Research Award, which honors high quality, original research contributes to the advancement of mental health counseling literature.

Titilayo Omolara Ilori, MD, MSc, assistant professor of medicine, was one of 50 recipients of the young investigators award from the American Society for Clinical Investigation. The award recognizes physician-scientists who are early in their first faculty appointment and have made notable achievements in their research.

Elizabeth N. Pearce, MD, MSc, professor of medicine, received the 2023 American Association of Clinical Endocrinology’s Hossein Gharib Educational Lectureship.

Katya Ravid, DSc, Barbara E. Corkey Professor of Medicine, was elected Fellow of the American Heart Association.

Marcia Ratner, PhD, DABT, assistant professor of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics, was appointed to the Scientific Liaison Coalition of the Society of Toxicology by the American Academy of Clinical Toxicology.

JoAnna Rorie, CNM, PhD, clinical associate professor of obstetrics & gynecology, received the Dorthea Lang Pioneer Award, the most prestigious midwifery award of the American College of Nurse Midwives. Rorie also received the Boston Celtics’ Hero Among Us Award, which is presented to an individual who, through their unique commitment and humanitarian spirit, has made exceptional and lasting contributions to the community.

Megan T. Sandel, MD, professor pediatrics, was named Young Alumni Awardee by Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine (’96).  

Jillian C. Shipherd, PhD, professor of psychiatry, and a clinical research psychologist at the Women’s Health Sciences Division of the National Center for PTSD at VA Boston Healthcare, received a 2023 American Psychological Foundation Gold Medal Award for Impact in Psychology. The award recognizes the work of a psychologist or group of psychologists that is impactful, innovative and transformational. Additionally, Shipherd, along with Sarah E. Valentine, PhD, assistant professor psychiatry, were honored with an Editor’s Choice Award by the journal Psychological Assessment, for their paper, “Considerations and Complexities of Accurate PTSD Assessment Among Transgender and Gender Diverse Adults.”

Priscilla J. Slanetz, MD, MPH, professor of radiology, received the 2023 Association of Program Directors in Radiology Achievement Award at the Association of University Radiologists’ annual meeting. The honor is given for outstanding service to APDR or to someone who has made significant contributions to the advancement of education in radiology.

Carl G. Streed, MD, MPH, FACP, FAHA, an assistant professor of medicine, received the 2023 Excellence in LGBTQ Health Award (Physician) from the American Medical Association (AMA) Foundation Board of Directors. This annual award honors physicians who represent the highest values of altruism, compassion and dedication to patient care.

Sean D. Tallman, PhD, RPA, assistant professor of anatomy & neurobiology, received a Fulbright Scholar Award, which allows U.S. academics to engage in multi-country, trans-regional projects. Tallman will travel to South Africa to conduct human skeletal biology research.

Alcy R. Torres, MD, FAAP, associate professor of pediatrics and neurology, has been selected Physician of the Year for Scientific Achievements by the Ecuadorian Physicians College.

Paul Tornetta III, MD, PhD, chair of orthopaedic surgery, was named first vice president of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons’ Board of Directors. His role is the second in a four-year term of volunteer service during which he will serve as president of the AAOS in 2024-2025.

The Lesotho-Boston Health Alliance (LeBoHA) was honored by the United Nations (UN) at the annual meeting of the Friends of the UN Inter-Agency Task Force on the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases. The program is designed to allow students from Lesotho, South Africa, who complete medical school abroad, to return to their home country to complete their residency and remain there. The goal is to improve the physician-patient ratio for Lesotho and train leaders for public health infrastructure.

The Women Veterans Network has been selected as the winner of the 2022 Boston Awards in the category of Association or Organization. The Boston Award Program recognizes those companies that have shown the ability to use their best practices and implemented programs to generate competitive advantages and long-term value.