Outstanding Scientific Achievement Award
Nominations for the 2026 SRS Awards are now closed. The next cycle will open in August of 2026.
The Outstanding Scientific Achievement Award is presented to one or more individuals to recognize a specific, novel, and seminal research discovery that has significantly impacted the sleep and circadian research field. This award honors a single scientist or up to three members of a scientific team most responsible for the design, conduct, and publication of the work.
Selection Criteria may include:
- A specific major contribution that has been presented in either a single publication or multiple related publications.
- Scientific advances recognized by this award may be basic, translational, clinical, or theoretical in nature.
Please note that while the nominator must be an SRS member, the nominee does not need to hold membership. For self-nominations, the individual must be a member of the SRS. Current SRS board members and editors-in-chief are not eligible for this award.
Questions? Please contact the SRS Coordinator at coordinator@srsnet.org.
2026 Recipient
“I remember vividly my awe and excitement from insightful talks and conversations with brilliant scientists I met at the first SLEEP meeting I attended in Seattle. I could not have imagined then receiving this great honor from the Sleep Research Society. I am deeply thankful for the talent, creativity, and dedication of the scientists who have worked in my lab, as well as my excellent colleagues who continue to inspire our studies. It is a privilege to do research in such a vibrant and collegial field.”
Past Recipients
2024–David M. Raizen, MD, PhD
2023–Joseph T. Bass, MD, PhD
2022–Maiken Nedergaard, MD, DMSc
2021–Colin E. Sullivan, PhD
2020–Richard P. Allen, PhD
2019–Frank A. J. L. Scheer, PhD; Steven A. Shea, PhD
2018–Chiara Cirelli, MD, PhD
2017–Niels C. Rattenborg, PhD
2016–Luis de Lecea, PhD
2015–Arthur J. Spielman, PhD
2014–David Holtzman, MD
2013–Amita Sehgal, PhD
2012–Joseph Takahashi, PhD
2011–Terry B. Young, PhD
2010–Mark Mahowald, MD; Carlos Schenck, MD
2009–David B. Rye, MD, PhD; Juliane Winkelmann, MD
2008–Robert Y. Moore, MD, PhD; Friedrich K. Stephen, PhD; Irving Zucker, PhD
2007–Eve Van Cauter, PhD
2006–Emmanuel Mignot, MD, PhD; Masashi Yanagisawa, MD, PhD