Health Sciences Section Awards

Please choose an award name to view specific details and requirements.


Joseph T. Freeman Award

Joseph T. FreemanThe Joseph T. Freeman Award is a lectureship in geriatrics and is awarded to a prominent clinician with demonstrated substatntial impact in the field of aging, both in research and practice. The Freeman Lecture is one of the highlights of the Society's Annual Scientific Meeting. The award was established in 1977 through a bequest from a patient's estate as a tribute to Dr. Joseph T. Freeman, a leading physician and one of the Society's distinguished members and past president.

Submission Period

Spring 2024

Eligibility Criteria

  • Nominees must be a member of the Health Sciences section.

Nomination Process

Required Nomination Packet Materials: 

  • A single nomination letter signed by at least three (3) supporters.
  • A current Curriculum Vitae.

Nature of Award
The recipient receives a framed certificate and is recognized at the Joseph T. Freeman Award and Lecture at the Annual Scientific Meeting. The recipient also presents a lecture at the Society's Annual Scientific Meeting the same year that they are selected as recipient of the award.

Past Recipient's Lectures
Disentangling the Disabling Process: Insights From the Precipitating Events Project
Thomas M. Gill 
Volume 54, Issue 4, August 2014 
This paper is a based on the Joseph T. Freeman Award lecture given at the Annual Meeting of The Gerontological Society of America held in New Orleans, Louisiana, in November, 2013

Past Awardees
View here

 


Excellence in Rehabilitation of Aging Persons Award

The Excellence in Rehabilitation of Aging Persons Award acknowledges outstanding contributions in the field of rehabilitation of aging persons.

The individual who is nominated should demonstrate sustained contributions to the field of rehabilitation of aging persons. The nominee’s work may be in any or all of the areas of teaching, patient care, research, administration, government, and/or policy. Key contributions to the literature may include publications of original research (number and/or impact), reviews, books, clinical practice guidelines, monographs, administrative directives, and/or public policy papers.  Nominees should have made significant contributions to the field of aging and rehabilitation and may include achievements across a wide range of scholarship, including research, teaching, application, and integration. Examples for consideration may include: an epidemiologist studying disability or conditions related to functional decline; a psychologist working in the area of psychological rehabilitation; a basic scientist working on a disease or condition that benefits from rehabilitation (e.g., Parkinson’s disease); a health policy advocate or legal professional who develops and/or advocates for rehabilitation services;, engineers involved in rehabilitation; or a federal scientist or grant officer who is overseeing rehabilitation research. Rehabilitation practitioners may include but are not limited to physical, occupational or speech therapists, physicians, nurses, psychologists, social workers, pharmacists, and health administrators.

Submission Period

Spring 2024

Eligibility Criteria

  • Applicants do not have to be a member of GSA. This is a Health Sciences Section Award, but it is open to anyone in the rehabilitation community.

  • The nominator or endorser of nomination must be a GSA member.

Nomination Process

Required Nomination Packet Materials:

  • A single nomination letter signed by at least three supporters that includes the following:

    • A description of the major contributions to the field of rehabilitation of aging persons, including: teaching, patient care, research, administration, government, and/or policy. Key contributions to the literature (e.g., publications of original research, reviews, books, clinical practice guidelines, monographs, administrative directives, and/or public policy papers) should be highlighted.

  • In addition, 3 digital links to key contributions to the literature and a current Curriculum Vitae or Resume for the nominee are required.

Nature of Award

The recipient receives $500, a framed certificate and is recognized at the Excellence in Rehabilitation of Aging Persons Lecture at the Annual Scientific Meeting. The recipient also presents a lecture at the Society's Annual Scientific Meeting the same year that they are selected as recipient of the award.

Past Awardees
View here


Austin Bloch Post-Doctoral Fellow Award

The Biological Sciences and Health Sciences sections are offering The Austin Bloch Postdoctoral Fellow Award to recognize an outstanding paper or poster contribution by a Postdoctoral Fellow in biomedical sciences. The Biological Sciences and Health Sciences Sections alternate annually in selecting the award from among their respective section's submissions. In order to be eligible for the award, the primary author's abstract must be submitted to the Health Sciences Section and accepted for presentation at the GSA Annual Scientific Meeting. A paper or poster, based on the accepted abstract, must be submitted by the deadline.  

Submission Period
Summer 2025

Eligibility Criteria

  • Health Sciences Section members are eligible to apply in years ending in an odd number. 
  • Must be engaged in relevant research.
  • Must submit an abstract for the Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM).
    • The abstract must be accepted for the ASM.
    • The student must present the work at the ASM.

Self Nomination Process

Required Nomination Packet Materials: 

  • Two copies of your 1,500 word paper or poster (one blinded, one not) based on the accepted abstract. 
  • Letter from the student's advisor
  • Abstract control ID number

Nature of Award
The recipient receives $200, a certificate, and will be recognized at their respective Section Business Meeting and Lunch at the GSA Annual Scientific Meeting.

Past Awardees
View here


Person-in-Training Award

The Person-in-Training Award is given to a student of the Health Sciences section for the best student paper at the Society's Annual Scientific Meeting. The award is designed to encourage research and to foster interest among students in the Health Sciences section and to encourage participation in the Society's Annual Scientific Meeting.

In order to apply for this award, you must submit an abstract for the Society's Annual Scientific Meeting. Once the abstract has been accepted, a 1,500-word paper by the trainee (describing the research) must be submitted by the deadline below. The paper must be accompanied by a letter from the student's advisor verifying that the submitted work is the student's. The award is made on the basis of the paper.

Submission Period

Summer 2024

Eligibility Criteria

  • Applicants must be a Student or Transitional member (ESPO) of the Health Sciences section.
  • Applicants must be enrolled in a doctoral program and can not have their doctoral degree.
  • Applicants’ abstracts must be accepted for the Annual Scientific Meeting.


Self Nomination Process

Required Nomination Packet Materials: 

  • Two copies of a 1,500 page paper (one blinded, one not) describing the research outlined in your accepted abstract. 
  • Letter from your advisor that must verify the work is the student's.
  • Abstract Control ID number. 

Nature of Award
The recipient receives $500, a certificate, and is recognized at the Health Science Section Business Meeting and Section Lunch at the GSA Annual Scientific Meeting.  

Past Awardees
View here


Research Award

The Health Sciences Research Award is given to a new investigator in the Health Sciences Section. The award is designed to encourage postdoctoral research and encourage participation in the Society's Annual Scientific Meeting.

Interested Health Sciences Section students, trainees, fellows and junior faculty must submit an abstract for the Society's Annual Scientific Meeting. Once the abstract has been accepted, a 1,500-word paper by the trainee (describing the research) should be submitted by the deadline below. The award is made on the basis of the paper.

Submission Period

Summer 2024

Eligibility Criteria

  • Applicants must be a member of the Health Sciences section.
  • Applicants must be new investigators who have received a doctoral degree within the past seven (7) years.
  • Applicants’ abstracts must be accepted for the Annual Scientific Meeting.

Self Nomiantion Process

Required Nomination Packet Materials: 

  • Two copies of a 1,500 word paper (one blinded, one not) describing the research outlined in your accepted abstract. 
  • Abstract control ID 

Nature of Award
The recipient receives $500, a certificate, and is recognized at the Health Sciences Section Business Meeting and Section Lunch at the GSA Annual Scientific Meeting.

Past Awardees
View here