Career Center AES Connect

Awardees

 

Meet the 2025 AES Award Recipients

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

 

 

Bernard

Basic Science Research Award

Christophe Bernard, PhD

Institute of Systems Neuroscience

Dr. Bernard is a neuroscientist whose work explores brain dynamics in health and disease, with a major focus on epilepsy. His research spans organic neurotechnologies, computational modeling, and seizure rhythmicity at whole-body scales. He is also Editor-in-Chief of eNeuro and a leading advocate for reproducibility and open science.

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Hirsch

Clinical Science Research Award

Lawrence J. Hirsch, MD

Yale University School of Medicine

Dr. Hirsch is a neurologist recognized for shaping critical care EEG terminology and leading major national and international collaborations on NORSE and FIRES. His research, guidelines, and clinical innovations have influenced EEG practice across the world, and he has authored over 240 peer-reviewed papers. He is also a highly awarded educator and mentor with long-standing leadership roles in AES and ACNS.

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Lubin

Distinguished Service Award

Farah D. Lubin, PhD

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Dr. Lubin studies the epigenetic mechanisms that regulate gene expression in neurons during memory formation and neurological disease. Her interdisciplinary work spans molecular neuroscience and CRISPR-based epigenetic editing to uncover pathways involved in cognition. She also leads programs supporting diversity and retention in neuroscience training. 

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McDonald

Dreifuss Award

Carrie McDonald, PhD, ABPP-CN

University of California, San Diego

Dr. McDonald is a clinical neuropsychologist whose research uses multimodal neuroimaging to predict cognitive and surgical outcomes in adults with epilepsy and brain tumors. She leads the Laboratory of Cognitive Imaging and multiple NIH-funded projects and plays major roles in ENIGMA-Epilepsy and AES research committees. She has been an active AES member and contributor for more than two decades. 

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Kobau

Extraordinary Contributions to the Field of Epilepsy Award

Rosemarie Kobau, MPH, MAPP

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Dr. Kobau spent nearly 25 years advancing public health surveillance, self-management research, and stigma reduction in epilepsy at the CDC. She led development of the Managing Epilepsy Well Network and contributed extensively to national objectives improving health for people with epilepsy. Her work spans more than 80 publications and numerous national committees and emergency response roles. 

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Sperling

Founders Award

Michael R. Sperling, MD

Thomas Jefferson University

Dr. Sperling is an internationally recognized clinician-scientist whose work has shaped modern epilepsy surgery, neurophysiology, investigational therapies, and epilepsy genetics. He has authored more than 500 publications and served in major editorial and leadership roles across neurology and epilepsy organizations. His career is marked by influential research and multiple prestigious awards, including the Penry and Jasper awards. 

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Modi

Kaufman Award

Avani Modi, PhD

Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center / University of Cincinnati College of Medicine

Dr. Modi is a behavioral medicine researcher whose work focuses on adherence, self-management, and psychosocial care for youth with epilepsy and chronic conditions. Continuously NIH-funded since 2008, she developed integrated psychosocial services within the epilepsy center and has authored over 200 publications. She also serves in key national and international leadership roles and is editor of the Journal of Pediatric Psychology. 

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Wyllie

Lombroso Award

Elaine Wyllie, MD

Cleveland Clinic

Dr. Wyllie is a leading pediatric epilepsy specialist whose research advanced surgical approaches for children with complex seizure disorders. Her work helped redefine surgical candidacy, improving outcomes for patients with early developmental abnormalities or bilateral imaging findings. She is also the longtime editor of Wyllie’s Treatment of Epilepsy and recipient of numerous major awards for clinical excellence.

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Joshi

J. Kiffin Penry Award

Sucheta Joshi, MD, MS, FCNS, FAES

University of Southern California / Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

Dr. Joshi is a pediatric epileptologist whose work centers on expanding access to epilepsy care through telemedicine, telementoring, and improved care transitions for adolescents. She has led multi-state telehealth initiatives, developed tools and registries to improve transition to adult care, and contributed to national disparities and epilepsy care guidelines. She has served in numerous leadership roles across AES, CNS, AAP, and ILAE-NA.

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Past Research and Recognition Awardees

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Extraordinary Contributions to the Field of Epilepsy arrow_drop_down
2024 Eileen M. Murray, MM, CAE
2023 Mary Anne Meskis
2022 George A. Ojemann, MD
2021 Ms. Gardiner Lapham, MPH, RN
2020 H. Steve White, PhD
2015 Story Landis
2014 Karen Gale
2013 Russel Katz
2010 Susan Axelrod
2008 Margaret Jacobs
2003 Esther A. and Joseph Klingenstein Foundation
2002 Sidney Goldring
2000 Ellen Grass 
Founders Award arrow_drop_down

Formerly the William G. Lennox Award

2024 Antonio Delgado-Escueta, PhD
2023 Bruce P. Hermann, PhD, FAES
2022 Elinor Ben-Menachem, MD, PhD, FAAN, FAES
2021 Carl E. Stafstrom, MD, PhD, FAES
2020 Karen S. Wilcox, PhD
2019 Amy Brooks-Kayal, MD, FAES
2018 Raman Sankar, MD, PhD, FAAN, FAES
2017 Jacqueline French, MD, FAES
2016 Gary Mathern, MD
2015 Christian E. Elger, MD, PhD, FRCP
2014 Hans O. Lüders, MD, PhD
2013 Rene Levy, PhD
2012 David C. Taylor
2011 Martin Brodie, MD
2010 Simon Shorvon
2009 Thomas P. Sutula, MD, PhD, FAES
2008 Harvey Kupferberg, PhD
2007 Ilo E. Leppik, MD, FAAN, FAES
2006 Timothy A. Pedley, MD, FAES
2005 Marc A. Dichter, MD, PhD, FAES
2004 Yukio Fukuyama
2003 Carl B. Dodrill, PhD
2002 James Ferrendelli, MD, FAES
2001 V. Elving Anderson
2000 Frederick Andermann
1999 Jerome P. Engel Jr., MD, PhD, FAES
1998 Juhn Wada, MD, DSc, FRCPC, FAES
1997 Cesare T. Lombroso
1996 Peter Kellaway
1995 Brenda Milner, PhD
1994 Richard H. Mattson, MD
1993 John M. Freeman
1992 Francis M. Forster
1991 Paul H. Crandall
1990 Harou Akimoto

Distinguished Service Award arrow_drop_down
2024 Frances E. Jensen, MD, FAES
2023 Elson L. So, MD, FES
2022 Samuel Wiebe, MD, FCAHS
2021 David M. Labiner, MD, FAES
2020 Vicky H. Whittemore, PhD
2019 Michael Privitera, MD, FAES
2018 Brandy Fureman, PhD
2017 Jose Cavazos, MD, PhD, FAES
2016 Manisha Patel, PhD, FAES
2015 Page Pennell, MD, FAES
2014 Robert L. Ruff, MD, PhD
2014 Karen L. Parko, MD, FAES
2013 Roger Porter, MD, FAES
2012 Bruce P. Hermann, PhD, FAES
2011 Michael A. Rogawski, MD, PhD, FAES
2010 Gregory K. Bergey, MD, FAAN, FANA, FAES
2009 L. James Willmore, MD, FAES
2008 Elinor Ben-Menachem, MD, PhD, FAES
2007 Martha J. Morrell, MD, FAAN, FAES
2006 Steven C. Schachter, MD, FAES
2005 Jacqueline A. French
2004 Robert S. Fisher, MD, PhD, FAES
2003 Nancy R. Temkin, PhD
2002 Braxton Wannamaker, MD, FAES
2001 Robert J. Gumnit
2000 Timothy Pedley, MD, FAES
1999 Margaret P. Jacobs
1998 Joyce Cramer
1997 Eli S. Goldensohn
1996 Donald Shields, MD
1995 Eric. W. Lothman
1994 Harvey Kupferberg, PhD
Basic Science Research Award arrow_drop_down

2024 Heather C. Mefford, MD, PhD
2023 Dimitri M. Kullmann, FRS, FMedSci, DPhil, MAE
2022 Lori L. Isom, PhD, FAES
2021 Massimo Avoli, MD, PhD
2020 Miriam Meisler, PhD
2019 Helen Scharfman, PhD
2018 Jack M. Parent, MD
2017 Heinz Beck, MD
2016 Scott Baraban, PhD
2015 Kevin J. Staley, MD
2014 Carolyn R. Houser, PhD
2013 Jaideep Kapur, MD, PhD
2012 Richard Miles, PhD
2011 Ivan Soltesz, PhD
2010 Douglas A. Coulter, PhD
2009 Annamaria Vezzani, PhD
2008 Frances E. Jensen, MD
2007 John Huguenard, PhD
2006 Wolfgang Loscher, PhD, DVM
2005 Tallie Z. Baram, MD, PhD
2004 Istvan Mody, PhD
2003 Dan C. McIntyre, PhD
2002 F. Edward Dudek, PhD
2001 Daniel H. Lowenstein, MD
2000 Yehezkel Ben-Ari, PhD
1999 Brian S. Meldrum, MD, PhD
1998 Robert K.S. Wong, PhD
1997 Esper A. Cavalheiro, MD, PhD
1997 Robert L. Macdonald, MD, PhD
1996 Jeffrey L. Noebels, MD, PhD
1995 Frederick Andermann, MD, FRCP(C)
1995 Raymond Dingledine, PhD
1994 James O. McNamara, MD
1994 Pierre Gloor, MD*
1993 Herbert H. Jasper, PhD
1993 Robert S. Sloviter, PhD
1992 Claude G. Wasterlain, MD
1992 Eli M. Mizrahi, MD
1992 Uwe Heinemann, MD
1991 David A. Prince, MD
1991 Roger D. Traub, MD
1990 Edward A. Swinyard, PhD*
1990 Philip A. Schwartzkroin, PhD
1990 Solomon L. Moshe', MD
1989 John W. Swann, PhD
1989 Pavel Mares, MD
1989 Gregory L. Holmes, MD

Clinical Science Research Award arrow_drop_down
2024 William Davis Gaillard, MD, FAES
2023 Matthias J. Koepp, MD, PhD
2022 Gregory A. Worrell, MD, PhD
2021 Neda Bernasconi, MD, PhD
2021 Andrea Bernasconi, MD, PhD
2020 Ruben I. Kuzniecky, MD, PhD, FAES
2019 Angela Vincent, FMedSci, FRS
2019 Josep Dalmau, MD, PhD
2018 Prof. J. Helen Cross, MD, MBChB, PhD
2017 Hal Blumenthal, MD
2016 Graeme Jackson, BSc., MBBS, MD, FRACP
2015 Brian Litt, MD
2014 Ruth Ottman, PhD
2013 Torbjorn Tomson, MD, PhD
2012 Renzo Guerrini, MD
2011 Kimford J. Meador, MD
2010 Tracy A. Glauser, MD
2009 Josemir (Ley) Sander, MD, PhD
2008 Anne T. Berg, PhD
2007 Ingrid E. Scheffer, MBBS, PhD, FRACP
2006 Robert S. Fisher, MD, PhD
2005 Jean Gotman, PhD
2004 John S. Duncan, MD
2003 Susan S. Spencer, MD *
2002 Christopher A. Walsh, MD
2001 W. Allen Hauser, MD
2000 Guiliano Avanzini, MD
1999 Dennis Spencer, MD
1998 Robert J. DeLorenzo, MD, PhD
1997 Richard H. Mattson, MD
1996 Jerome Engel, Jr., MD, PhD
1995 Jean Aicardi, MD
1995 Samuel Frank Berkovic, MD
1994 Elaine Wyllie, MD
1994 Sydney Goldring, MD
1993 J. Kiffin Penry, MD*
1993 Joan K. Austin, DNS, RN
1992 Dominick P. Purpura, MD
1992 Karin B. Nelson, MD
1991 Fritz Dreifuss, MB, ChB, FRCP*
1991 O. Carter Snead, III, MD
1991 William H. Theodore, MD
1990 Cesare T. Lombroso, MD, PhD
1990 Peter R. Camfield, MD, FRCP(C) and Carol Camfield, MD
1989 Peter Kellaway, PhD*
1989 Shlomo Shinnar, MD, PhD
J. Kiffin Penry Award for Excellence in Epilepsy Care arrow_drop_down
2024 Gretchen Birbeck, MD, MPH, DTMH
2023 Dave Clarke, MBBS, ABPN, ABCN, FAES
2023 Brenda E. Porter, MD, PhD, FAES
2022 Elaine Wyllie, MD, FAES
2021 Elaine Wirrell, MD
2020 Gregory L. Barkley, MD
2019 Barbara C. Jobst, MD, PhD, FAAN, FAES
2018 Michael R. Sperling, MD, FAES
2017 James Cloyd, PharmD
2016 Orrin Devinsky, MD, FAES
2015 Donald L. Schomer, MD
2014 Joyce A. Cramer
2013 Gregory Cascino, MD, FAES
2012 Warren T. Blume, MD, FRCPC
2011 Patricia Dean, APRN
2010 Andres M. Kanner, MD, FAAN, FANA, FAES
2009 Allan Krumholz, MD
2008 Elaine P.G. Vining, MD
2007 Edward B. Bromfield
2006 Patricia Osborne Shafer, MN, RN, FAES
2005 John R. Gates
2004 John M. Pellock
2003 W. Edwin Dodson, MD
2002 Peter D. Williamson
2001 John M. Freeman
2000 Patricia Gibson, DHL, MS, MSW
1999 B. J. Wilder, MD
1998 William Feindel
1997 Fritz Dreifuss