Who has helped you succeed?
Please send your nominations via email to Rebecca Helton by December 21 and include a few sentences about why you are nominating your candidate (full letter not required).
Excellence in Mentoring Translational Scientists
Nominate a Mentor
Do you know a mentor who has made a lasting impact on the careers of translational scientists? We invite nominations for the annual Excellence in Mentoring Translational Scientists Award, which recognizes individuals who invest in the next generation of researchers through mentorship, career development, and sustained support of trainees and early career investigators.
Submit a nomination by sharing a few sentences describing how your nominee has advanced the careers of others through outstanding mentorship.
Distinguished Service to Translational Scientists
Nominate a Colleague
Do you know someone who has made research easier, stronger, or more accessible for investigators across Vanderbilt? The Distinguished Service to Translational Scientists Award recognizes individuals who have built or enhanced the infrastructure, services, and resources that support translational research.
We welcome nominations of faculty, staff, administrators, core directors, and others whose contributions have strengthened the research enterprise and enabled the success of fellow scientists. Self-nominations are encouraged.
Please send your nominations via email to Rebecca Helton by December 15 and include a few sentences about why you are nominating your candidate (full letter not required). Self-nominations are encouraged.
This award is given to an individual who makes key contributions to launching and/or sustaining shared resources and services that undergird the productivity and achievement of all our translational scientists.
Translational science is intrinsically interdisciplinary and often large scale. Vanderbilt is uniquely privileged to have a culture of service in which senior investigators, administrative leadership, directors of cores and services, and colleagues contribute generously to collective processes and resources. We take pride in a strong record of finding creative ways to build our capacity to conduct influential translational science, and in doing so with an agile, entrepreneurial flair that provides a competitive edge for all our researchers.
Congratulations to the 2026 Awardees
The Forum recognizes individuals who advance translational science through mentorship, service, and career development.
Excellence in Mentoring Translational Scientists
Lorraine Ware, MD
Given to a scientist who invests in the next generation by igniting interest in research among trainees, by direct mentoring of individual investigators who have achieved independence & advancing career development in the larger community.
Prior Excellence in Mentoring Translational Scientists Awardees
Ravi Shah, James Crowe, Robert Dittus, Kathryn Edwards, Wes Ely, Tina Hartert, Alp Ikizler, Sunil Kripalani & Dan Roden.
Distinguished Service to Translational Scientists
Cheryl Gatto, PhD, PMP
Given to a scientist who makes critical contributions to launching & sustaining shared resources & services that undergird the productivity & achievement of all our translational scientists.
Prior Distinguished Service to Translational Scientists Awardees
John Gore, Gordon Bernard, Stephen Camarata, John Gore, Frank Harrell, Paul Harris, Katherine Hartmann, Jennifer Pietenpol, Eric Skaar, & Consuelo Wilkins.
Edge for Scholar’s Service to Career Development
Reyna Gordon, PhD
Excellence in Mentoring to Independence
Daniel Claassen, MD, MS, Alvin Powers, MD & Christianne Roumie, MD, MPH
Exceptional mentors who have had five or more faculty members on career development awards. We celebrate their generosity and talent for helping launch their mentees’ careers.
REGISTER TO ATTEND THE FORUM
Friday, January 29, 2027
9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Student Life Center
