Class of 2023 nominations will open in the Summer of 2023.

Please direct all questions on this council to Academy staff Casey Cappelletti, ccappelletti@acadrad.org. 

Purpose:

Established in 2012 to acknowledge and celebrate high levels of achievement in the field of imaging research.

Goal and Rationale:

The goal of this award is to recognize individuals for their accomplishments in imaging research. The program is intended to especially encourage those who have achieved scientific excellence while still being involved in clinical care, but it is not limited to clinician scientists. The possibility of attaining recognition as a Distinguished Investigator may be identified as a career goal for those involved in imaging who wish to focus on research. Receipt of such recognition could serve as an important asset in the future careers of those individuals.

The award is open to all researchers whose institutions (i.e., academic, industry, society) are members of the Academy. This includes radiologists, other physicians whose clinical focus is imaging, and medical imaging scientists. The goal is to recognize Radiology researchers for accomplishments, rather than qualifications. Nominations are strongly encouraged for candidates at mid-career, and they can be submitted by either the Chair or Research Chair of an academic Department of Radiology, industry executive or supervisor, or society executive or chair.

There is no limit on the number of individuals that an Academy member institution may nominate. The deadlines for submission vary year to year and are announced annually to the Academy’s membership.

The award is presented at a ceremony held during the annual RSNA meeting. Recipients of the award will become members of the Council of Distinguished Investigators of the Academy.

Leadership:

Council Co-Chairs —Elizabeth A. Krupinski, PhD and Michael McNitt-Gray, PhD, represent the Council on the Academy Board of Directors. The Co-Chairs review all nominee submissions to ensure they meet the criteria established, then present the slate to the full Academy Board for a vote of approval at the Spring meeting.

Criteria:

• Candidates must be nominated by members of the Academy’s academic department members, society members, or industry partners.
• Primary professional appointment an Academy member organization
• MDs, DOs, PhDs and/or equivalents are eligible.
• Academic rank of at least Associate Professor or its industry/society equivalent.
• Significant research contributions.
• Sustained productivity, including at least 25 peer-reviewed scientific research publications in which they are first author or senior author.
• Demonstrated accomplishment as an independent investigator with a substantial ongoing research program. The nominee should have completed at least 6 cumulative years (see examples below) of funding as the Principal Investigator (including co-PI and MPI) of major competitive extramural research grants.
  • Example A: nomination year = 2022 with grant #1 start/end dates 1/1/2015 – 12/31/2017, grant #2 6/1/16 – 5/30/2018, grant #3 1/1/17 – 12/31/2021; thus 2015-2021 funding = at least 6 cumulative completed years = qualified
  • Example B: nomination year = 2022 with grant #1 start/end dates 1/1/2020 – 12/31/2024, grant #2 6/1/2021 – 5/30/2025, grant #3 6/1/2022 – 5/30/2026 ≠ 6 cumulative completed years = does not qualify
• For those engaged in team science
  • In the nomination letter please describe the unique contributions the candidate has made to the team science efforts
  • Sustained productivity, including at least 25 peer-reviewed scientific research publications in which there is a sustained focus area of the research.
  • Demonstrated accomplishment as a team science investigator in a substantial ongoing research program. The nominee should have completed at least 6 cumulative years (see examples above) of funding at the minimum level of co-Investigator on major competitive extramural research grants.