Innovation Awards

Launched in 2011, the Innovation Awards celebrate the groundbreaking innovative research and commercialization efforts at Penn State College of Medicine.

The Office of the Dean and the Center for Medical Innovation invites faculty, staff, postdocs and students at the College of Medicine and Penn State Health to submit nominations for the following awards:

• Innovator of the Year
• Investigator to Watch
• Student Award for Excellence in Innovation

All Research and Innovation nominees and selected winners will be celebrated during the month of April, with a Research and Innovation Awards ceremony on April 30, 2025.

Nomination Form

Innovator of the Year

This award recognizes an individual who exemplifies innovation and entrepreneurship in translational research through a demonstrated track record of developing new technologies, processes, or services. Past award recipients come from various departments but are united by their commitment to groundbreaking translational research and innovation.

Investigator to Watch

This award recognizes an individual who demonstrates significant potential in translating groundbreaking research into commercial technologies, processes, or services.

Rising Star in Innovation Award

This award is presented to an individual who exemplifies innovation and entrepreneurship in research through a demonstrated interest in developing new technologies, processes or services.

Nomination Process

To nominate an individual, complete the appropriate form. Award qualifications and nomination guidelines will be listed on each award application form.

Each nomination requires a 250-word-or-less description of why the nominee best represents Penn State College of Medicine or Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, addressing the characteristics outlined by the award.

After the close of nominations, a review committee established by the Awards Committee will review each submission and make a recommendation. One individual will be selected for each honor.