Awards Program

The R. Brinkley Smithers and Distinguished Scientist Award and Lecture was established by ASAM in 1995 as a lasting tribute to R. Brinkley Smithers who influenced American alcoholism policy, theory and treatment. Through his dedication and philanthropy he created a far greater understanding of this treatable disease.

The Award is to recognize and honor an individual who has made highly meritorious contributions in advancing the scientific understanding of alcoholism, its prevention and treatment.

The Award and Lecture, sponsored by the Christopher D. Smithers Foundation, is presented annually at ASAM’s Opening Plenary Session during its Annual Medical-Scientific Conference.

2013 Joseph Westermeyer, MD, PhD, MPH
2012 Richard Saitz, MD, MPH
2011 George E. Vaillant, MD
2010 Marc Galanter, MD
2009 Thomas F. Babor, PhD, MPH
2008 Ralph W. Hingson, ScD., MPH
2007 Lee Ann Kaskutas, Dr. PH
2006 Rudolf H. Moos, PhD
2005 Herbert D. Kleber, MD
2004 [no recipient]
2003 A. Thomas McLellan, PhD
2002 Denise B. Kandel, PhD
2001 Charles P. O'Brien, MD, PhD
2000 Marc A. Schuckitt, MD
1999 Mary Jeanne Kreek, MD
1998 Lee N. Robins, PhD
1997 Ting-Kai Li, MD
1996 Charles S. Lieber, MD
1995 Harold Kalant, MD, PhD
1994 Samuel B. Guze, MD
1993 Floyd E. Bloom, MD
1992 Avram Goldstein, MD
1991 Vincent P. Dole, MD

The John P. McGovern MD Award and Lecture on Addiction and Society was established in 1997 to recognize and honor an individual who has made highly meritorious contributions to public policy, treatment, research, or prevention which has increased our understanding of the relationship of addiction and society. The Award is sponsored by an endowment from the John P. McGovern Foundation.

2013 Nora D. Volkow, MD
2012 David R. Gastfriend, MD
2011 A. Thomas McLellan, PhD
2010 David L. Rosenbloom, PhD
2009 Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy, D-RI
2008 H. Westley Clark, MD, JD, MPH, FASAM
2007 William L. White
2006 Carlo C. DiClemente, PhD
2005 Congressman James Marvin "Jim" Ramstad, R-MN
2004 [no recipient]
2003 David C. Lewis, MD
2002 Monsignor William B. O'Brien
2001 Beny J. Primm, MD
2000 Betty Ford, Former First Lady of the United States
1999 Robert L. DuPont, MD, FASAM
1998 Daniel J. Anderson, PhD

The Public Policy Award is presented each year to the elected official (federal, state, local) who has effectively advanced public policies that promote the health of Americans, especially persons with addictions; addiction medicine physicians; the education of physicians and medical trainees regarding substance use and addiction; or recognition of the practice of addiction medicine.

2013 H. Westley Clark, MD, JD, MPH, CAS, FASAM
2012 A. Thomas McLellan, PhD

The ASAM Medical-Scientific Program Committee Award will be awarded to the author of the submitted abstract receiving the highest rating for its scientific merit. The award will be awarded on the basis of new ideas or findings of importance to the field of Addiction Medicine, their methodology and clarity of presentation, as judged by the ASAM Conference Program Committee reviewers.

2013 Timothy Wiegand, MD
2012 Aaron Johnson, PhD
2011 Hannu Alho, MD, PhD
2010 Erik Gunderson, MD, FASAM
2009 Walter Ling, MD
2008 Chris L. Adelman, MD
2007 Phillipe Lehert, PhD
2006 Cindy Parks Thomas, PhD
2005 Richard Rosenthal, MD
2004 Randy Brown, MD, FASAM
2003 Mark S. Gold, MD, FASAM
2002 Michael Dennis, PhD
2001 Peter L. Selby, MD

To be presented each year for excellence in print or electronic journalism. This Award is bestowed for a newspaper, magazine, television, radio or website story, column, or program that improves the public's understanding of addiction, addiction treatment, recovery, or the profession of addiction medicine.

2012 William Moyers, Sr. & Judith Moyers for their TV series "Close to Home"
2011 Dirk Wales for his DVD series "Wearing Masks"
2010 Eric Newhouse for his book "Alcohol: Cradle to Grave"
2009 [no recipient]
2008 John Hoffman for his HBO series "ADDICTION"

The Young Investor Award for the best paper (based on a submitted abstract) by a Young Investigator, who is the paper's senior author and who is within five years of the completion of a medical residency or receipt of a doctoral degree (e.g., MD, PhD, DSc, etc.).

2013 Kay Russos-Ross, MD
2012 Anne Neumann, MD
2011 Randall Brown, MD, PhD, FASAM
2010 Lisa J. Merlo, PhD
2009 Philipp P. Lobmaier, MD
2008 Mishka Terplan, MD, MPH
2007 Martha J. Wunsch, MD, FAAP, FASAM
2006 Janet Soeffing, MD; Hannah K. Knudsen, PhD
2005 Mathew W. Warren, BS; Steven L. West, PhD, CRC
2004 Daniel H. Lende, PhD
2003 Kristen Ochoa, MSII
2002 Kevin P. Hill, MD
2001 Renee M. Cunningham-Wiliams, PhD, MPE
2000 Estee Sharon, PsyD
1999 Peggy A. Compton, RN, PhD
1998 Rita Aszalos, MD
1997 Pamela Bean, PhD; David M. Gudeman, MD
1996 Robert M. Anthenelli, MD
1995 Jon Opsahl, MD, MPH
1994 Judith S. Rose, MD
1993 Ivan D. Montoya, MD, MPH
1992 Kevin M. Kinback
1991 Burton Hutto, MD
1990 Kirk J. Bower, MD
1989 Sangeeta Gambhir

For outstanding contributions to the growth and vitality of our Society, for thoughtful leadership in the field, and for deep understanding of the art and science of Addiction Medicine." and "for expanding the frontiers of the field of Addiction Medicine and broadening our understanding of the addictive process, through research and innovation."

2013 Michael M. Miller, MD, FASAM; Carlton Erickson, PhD
2012 Elizabeth F. Howell, MD, FASAM, DFAPA; Gerald D. Shulman, MA, FACATA
2011 Kevin Kunz, MD, MPH, FASAM; Marc Galanter, MD, FASAM
2010 A. Kenison Roy, III, MD, FASAM, DFAPA; David E. Smith, MD, FASAM; Laura F. McNicholas, MD, PhD
2009 Lawrence S. Brown, Jr., MD, MPH, FASAM; Nora D. Volkow, MD
2008 Robert L. Dupont, MD, FASAM; David A. Fiellin, MD
2007 James F. Callahan, DPA; Jerome H. Jaffe, MD
2006 James W. Smith, MD, FASAM; Barry Stimmel, MD, FASAM; Larry Gentilello, MD, FACS
2005 Anne Geller, MD, FASAM; Walter Ling, MD
2004 Andrea G. Barthwell, MD, FASAM; Alan I. Leshner, PhD
2003 [no recipient]
2002 J. Thomas Payte, MD; George F. Koob, PhD
2001 Anthony B. Radcliffe, MD, FASAM; Enoch Gordis, MD
2000 William B. Hawthorne, MD; C. Robert Cloninger, MD
1999 LeClair Bissell, MD; Sheila B. Blume, MD; Herbert D. Kleber, MD
1998 David Mee-Lee, MD; John Slade, MD; Stanton A. Glantz, PhD
1997 Maxwell N. Weisman, MD; George Lundberg, MD
1996 John B. Griffin, Jr., MD; Jack E. Henningfield, PhD
1995 Jess W. Bromley, MD; Edward C. Senay, MD; Emanuel M. Steindler
1994 Jasper G. Chen See, MD; Henri Begleiter, MD, PhD
1993 Max. A. Schneider, MD; Floyd Bloom, MD
1992 Loretta P. Finnegan, MD
1991 G. Douglas Talbott, MD
1990 Stanley E. Gitlow, MD
1989 Charles S. Lieber, MD
1988 [no recipient]
1987 Ruth Little, PhD; Ann Streissguth, PhD
1986 C. Everett Koop, MD
1985 Donald W. Goodwin, MD; John A. Ewing, MD
1984 Max M. Glatt, MD
1983 [no recipient]
1982 Vernelle Fox, MD; George Vaillant, MD
1981 Frank A. Seixas, MD
1980 Charles S. Davidson, MD
1979 Willard P. Arentzen, MD
1978 Jean-Pierre von Wartburg, MD
1977 Eward A. Swinyard, PhD; Chester A. Swinyard, MD
1976 Ebbe Curtis Hoff, MD
1975 [no recipient]
1974 John L. Norris, MD
1973 Ruth Fox, MD
1972 Marvin A. Block, MD; Ruth Fox, MD

2012 Bonnie Wilford
2011 Jag H. Khalsa, Ph.D.

The American Society of Addiction Medicine wants to increase the opportunities for residents to learn about the diagnosis and treatment of alcoholism and other drug dependencies. Once again, ASAM will be using some of the interest income from its Ruth Fox Memorial Endowment Fund to underwrite a limited number of scholarships for selected physicians-in-training to participate in the Society’s annual conference.

Recipients receive a complimentary three-year membership.

2013 (Chicago, IL)

R. Joel Bush, MD, Baltimore, MD
Elizabeth Bulat, MD, Livonia, MI
Clifford Cabansag, MD, Cincinnati, OH
Elina Chernyak, DO, University Heights, OH
Yelena Chorny, MD, MSc, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Michael Dekker, DO, Boston, MA

2012 (Atlanta, GA)

Dustin DeYoung, MD, Iowa City, IA
Brian Harahan,MD,Ph.D, Minneapolis, MN
Karsten Lunze, MD, MPH, Boston, MA
Chinyere Ogbonna, MD, MPH, Cincinnati, OH
Joan M. Striebel, MD, Los Angeles, CA
Christen Tibbs, MD, Chicago, IL

2011 (Washington, DC)

Timothy J. Cordes, MD, PhD, Madison, WI
Katherine Grieco, D.O., New Haven, CT
Vanessa Lentz, MD, M.S., Montreal, Quebec, CAN
Jennifer Nguyen, MD, Bethesda, MD
Carla M. Reese, MD, MS, Baltimore, MD
James Yeh, MD, Cambridge, MA

2010 (San Francisco, CA)

Christopher Holden, MD, New York, NY
Nicole Terese LaVelle, MD, San Diego, CA
Min Zhong, MD, Norman, OK

2009 (New Orleans, LA)

*Bethany C. Arber Calkins, MD - Rochester, NY
James Fausto, MD - New York, NY
Jennifer J. Nadeau, MD, San Diego, CA
Sam Schwendiman, MD, Clawson, MI

2008 (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)

Gregory Acampora, MD, New Haven, CT
*Lily Arora, MD, Milford, CT
Kathryn Hawk (2nd yr. med. student), Philadelphia, PA
Kristen Ochoa, MD, Alhambra, CA
Gregory Parada, MD, Seattle, WA
John. Raser, MD, Lawrence, MA
*Jose Vito, MD, New York, NY

2007 (Miami, FL)

Richard P. Amar, MD Atlanta, GA
Bachaar Arnaout, MD, New York, NY
Bernard Fischer, MD, Columbia, MD
Catherine R. Friedman, MD, Cranston, RI
Nathan Kolla, MD, Toronto, CAN
Eric Smiltneek, MD, Milwaukee, WI
Emjay Tan, MD, Evanston, IL
Sara G. West, MD, Cleveland Heights, OH

2006 (San Diego, CA)

Kathleen Ang-Lee, MD, Seattle, WA
Katrina Ball, D.O., Loma Linda, CA
Norana Irene Caivano, MD, West Hollywood, CA
Mark Hrymoc, MD, Torrance, CA

2005 (Dallas, TX)

Erica Bradshaw, MD, Virginia Beach, VA
Michael K. Delano, MD, Charlottesville, VA
David C. Lott, MD, Western Springs, IL
Tara M. Wright, MD, Charleston, SC

2004 (Washington, DC)

Navjyot S. Bedi, MD, Chicago, IL
Tim Gannon, MD, PhD, Chicago, IL
Brian Hurley, MS11, Los Angeles, CA
Shimi K. Kang, B.Sc., MD, Vancouver, BC, CAN
Annette M. Matthews, MD, Portland, OR
Ximena Sanchez-Sampler, MD, Boston, MA
Carolina M. Takizawa, MD, Boston, MA

2003 (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)

Jeffrey D. Baxter, MD, Shrewsbury, MA
Anita Chakrabarti, MD, Thunder Bay, Ontario, CAN
William Huang, MD, Los Angeles, CA
Jack Kuo, MD, Los Angeles, CA
Michael F. Osborne, MD, Durham, NC
Sandrine Pirard-Janne d'Othee, MD, Boston, MA

2002 (Atlanta, GA)

James M. Adams, MD, Los Angeles, CA
Janice E. Bach, MD, Fayetteville, NY
Dean Michael DeCrisce, MD, Venice, CA
Keith Heinzerling, MD, Jersey City, NJ
Kevin P. Hill, MD, Newton, MA
Christine M. O'Brien, MD, Lancaster, PA
Nancy S. Wu, MD, San Francisco, CA

*selected to work with ASAM's Public Policy Committee for one year