Research Awards of Excellence

This award recognizes achievement by an emerging faculty investigator engaged in innovative discoveries. Nominations are not limited to a particular biomedical research discipline. Competitive nominees will have accomplished a significant body of work as an independent investigator at Penn.  To be eligible, nominees must hold an appointment as an Assistant Professor on June 30, 2026.

This award honors Bill’s remarkable success in identifying and nurturing emerging talent in biomedical research by celebrating faculty at the Assistant or Associate level who have made fundamental discoveries elevating Penn Medicine’s biomedical research eminence and reputation. The award is open to those who work in basic, applied or innovative science. To be eligible, nominees must hold an appointment as an Assistant or Associate Professor on June 30, 2026.

This award recognizes achievement in the broad field of biomedical research by senior faculty investigators. Preference will be given to candidates whose research topic lies outside of patient-oriented research and health evaluation sciences.

This award recognizes achievement in the health evaluation sciences by a junior faculty member. Emphasis will be on patient-oriented research that addresses fundamental clinical problems as well as the organization and delivery of health care. Key research areas include: studying the natural history of common problems and major diseases; understanding how people, families, communities and systems deal with health/illness; improving doctor-patient communication, decision-making and partnership; testing efficacy, effectiveness and systems to improve patient satisfaction, safety and outcomes. Methods used in this research include those from health services, biomedical, public health, public policy and social sciences.  To be eligible, nominees must hold an appointment as an Assistant Professor on June 30, 2026.

This award recognizes achievement in the health evaluation sciences, including bioethics, biostatistics, epidemiology, health services research, and related fields by senior faculty investigators. This area of research is designed to improve the organization, delivery, and financing of health care; to discover new knowledge about the clinical and social basis of disease and its treatment; and to understand the ethical and social implications of the work of the health professions.

This award recognizes achievement in research conducted with human subjects (or material of human origin such as tissues, specimens, and cognitive phenomena) for which an investigator (or colleague) directly interacts with human subjects.  This area of research includes mechanisms of human disease, therapeutic interventions, clinical trials, and development of new technologies.

This award recognizes a Penn Medicine faculty member whose scholarly focus has been dedicated to advancing health equity. This award honors an individual who has made significant, long-term contributions toward reducing health disparities and improving healthcare access for underserved or marginalized communities. It acknowledges faculty who have demonstrated a sustained commitment to promoting equitable healthcare, expanding the boundaries of healthcare access, and contributing to policies or programs that have had a transformative impact on underserved or marginalized communities through research with clear evidence of impact.

This award recognizes faculty at any rank who have made sustained and significant contributions in science, recognizing a body of work spanning their entire career at Penn.

• Candidates must hold a primary appointment in PSOM. 
• Candidates can be nominated by PSOM faculty from any track or rank.
• Self-nominations are precluded.
• Faculty are eligible to receive an award only once; however, receiving a new investigator award does not preclude subsequent selection for a senior award.
• Each nomination packet should include the following in the order below:
  • Nomination submission checklist - completed and signed by the nominator.
  • Nomination letter, including a statement that the department chair approves and endorses the nomination.
  • Summary of significant research contributions (one page).
  • List of other significant indicators of quality of recent research (one page).
  • List of up to five key recent publications.
  • CV in Penn format, including past, current, and pending grants using the Penn FEDS grants format.
  • Appointment start date and anticipated date of promotion (if applicable). 
    • For Brown, Bowman, and Kelley Awards, please include the candidate’s appointment start date and anticipated or confirmed date of promotion (month and year). To be eligible for the Brown and Bowman Awards, nominees must hold an appointment as an Assistant Professor on June 30, 2026.  To be eligible for the Kelley Award, nominees must hold an appointment as an Assistant or Associate Professor on June 30, 2026.

Materials must be submitted in single pdf file in the following order: Submission checklist, nomination letter, research contribution summary, other significant indicators of research quality, five key publications, CV, appointment start date and anticipated date of promotion (if applicable).