Awards

About AES Awards

Special Honors

Each year, the American Epilepsy Society honors the most accomplished professionals in the field of epilepsy with our Research and Recognition Awards.

AES deeply values diversity of experience and background and recognizes that such diversity enriches the work we do. The Research and Recognition Awards Committee aims for a diverse pool of candidates that reflects the broad spectrum of professionals that make AES strong, including nominations of accomplished individuals from underrepresented groups.

Nominations for the following special honors are solicited through a public call each year. The Research and Recognition Awards Committee selects candidates for the following awards and recommends them for Board approval:

  • Founders Award
    Honors AES members who have a record of lifetime contributions and accomplishments related to epilepsy. The award is funded by the Lennox and Lombroso Trust for Research and Training, which was established in 1962 to advance and disseminate knowledge concerning epilepsy in all of its aspects—biological, clinical, and social—and to promote better care and treatment for persons with epilepsy. The award, formerly titled the Lennox Award, has been a top honor bestowed by AES since 1966.
  • Basic Science Research Award and Clinical Science Research Award
    Given annually to active scientists and clinicians working in all aspects of epilepsy research. The awards recognize professional excellence reflected in a distinguished history of research of important promise for the improved understanding and treatment of epilepsy.
  • J. Kiffin Penry Award for Excellence in Epilepsy Care
    Established in 1997 in honor of Dr. Penry’s lifelong focus on advancing epilepsy care and awareness, this award recognizes individuals (members or non-members) whose work in the clinical care of patients, scholarly/educational activities, and mentorship have had a major impact in improving the quality of life for persons with epilepsy. The award was initially funded with a gift from Abbott Laboratories and has been continually supported through the J. Kiffin Penry Fund of AES. 
  • AES Distinguished Service Award
    Honors AES member volunteers whose exemplary service to AES has advanced the mission of AES and strengthened the field of epilepsy. Established in 1993, members in any category—including advocates and those in other non-medical or non-scientific roles—are eligible for this award. 

 

The Extraordinary Contributions to the Field of Epilepsy award is bestowed by the Board of Directors and recognizes those who have made extraordinary contributions across multiple fronts, including science, education, leadership, and advocacy. The award is presented when the Board of Directors determines there is a candidate whose accomplishments embody the spirit of the recognition.


Lecture Awards

AES lecturers are selected each year to speak during various symposia at the Annual Meeting.

  • Lombroso Lecture
    Named in memory of past president Cesare T. Lombroso, MD, PhD, the Lombroso Lecture is delivered each year by a clinician or scientist who is considered to be an outstanding investigator in the field of epilepsy research. The AES president, the chair of the Annual Meeting Committee, and the chair of the Scientific Program Committee jointly select the lecturer.
  • Dreifuss Lecture
    Supported by the AES Fritz Dreifuss Fund, this lecture features topics related to clinical epilepsy research and outstanding patient care, delivered by a lecturer during the Presidential Symposium who has an exemplary record of accomplishment in those areas. It honors the memory of AES past president Fritz E. Dreifuss, MD, a leading clinical epilepsy specialist and investigator who founded the Comprehensive Epilepsy Program at the University of Virginia and mentored generations of epilepsy researchers who are now leaders in the field.
  • Rebecca Goldberg Kaufman Clinical Award in Ethical Neuropsychiatry
    The annual Kaufman Lecture, presented during the Best Practices in Clinical Epilepsy Symposium, highlights issues related to clinical neuropsychiatry, the psychiatric aspects of epilepsy, and/or the use of antiepileptic drugs in the treatment of psychiatric disorders. It honors the memory of educator Rebecca Goldberg Kaufman, mother of a child with epilepsy, and advocates for increased education and research about the psychological impact of epilepsy and the psychiatric effects of anticonvulsants. The lecture and award are supported by the Rebecca Goldberg Kaufman Ethical Neuropsychiatry Award Fund.  

 

AES Lecture Awards are not included in the call for nominations. Lecturers are selected by volunteer leadership as part of a separate process.

 

Click here to view past awardees.