Jeffries Aerospace Medicine and Life Sciences Research Award Open for Nominations 10 July 2024 – 1 October 2024

Home / Get Involved / Honors & Awards / Awards

The Jeffries Aerospace Medicine and Life Sciences Research Award was established by the AIAA in 1940 to recognize outstanding contributions to the advancement of aeronautics through accomplishments in aerospace medicine and space life sciences.

The award honors the memory of Dr. John Jeffries. Dr. Jeffries was an American physician who made the first aerial voyage across the English Channel in 1785 (with Blanchard, a French balloonist). On a previous flight in 1784, Jeffries made the earliest recorded scientific observations from the air, which were published in “A Narrative of the Two Aerial Voyages” in 1786.

The award criteria comprise: (a) Scientific and Engineering Contributions to the disciplines of aerospace medicine or space life sciences; (b) Impact to the scientific community; (c) Long-term value of contributions; (d) Innovation; and (e) Service to the AIAA and the Aerospace Community (including activities that promote AIAA and related professional societies, and the broader scientific and engineering communities; and mentoring and outreach activities that contribute towards an engaged and diverse workforce in aerospace).

This annual award is generally presented at the International Conference on Environmental Systems.


Deadlines:
Accepting Online Nominations: 10 July
Nomination Deadline: 1 October
Endorsement Letters Deadline: 1 November

Award Recipients

2023

  • Dr Bruce W Webbon
    Awarded
    Award: 2023 AIAA Jeffries Aerospace Medicine and Life Sciences Research Award
    AIAA Citation: For innovative engineering, leadership, and mentorship in life support, human physiology, thermal control, and extravehicular activity technology development to advance NASA's human exploration goals.

2022

  • Dr pete hancock
    Other
    Awarded
    Award: 2022 AIAA Jeffries Aerospace Medicine and Life Sciences Research Award
    AIAA Citation: "For lifelong contributions to the human factors of aviation and aerospace safety and performance."

2021

  • Joseph J Kosmo
    Awarded
    Award: 2021 AIAA Jeffries Aerospace Medicine and Life Sciences Research Award
    AIAA Citation: For exceptional technical contributions to human spaceflight, incorporating physiological and human factors principles into advanced spacesuit design leading to substantial increases in mobility, performance and safety.

2020

  • James M Waligora
    Awarded
    Award: 2020 Jeffries Aerospace Medicine and Life Sciences Research Award
    AIAA Citation: For pioneering human performance studies and engineered countermeasures critical for safe and productive extravehicular activity on programs spanning Apollo to the International Space Station.

2019

  • Dr John B Charles
    Awarded
    Award: For excellence in biomedical research, scientific leadership, and international cooperation, leading to significant contributions to our understanding of the challenges of long duration human spaceflight.
    AIAA Citation: For excellence in biomedical research, scientific leadership, and international cooperation, leading to significant contributions to our understanding of the challenges of long duration human spaceflight.

2018

  • Dr Dava J Newman
    MIT
    Awarded
    Award: 2018 Jeffries Aerospace Medicine and Life Sciences Research Award
    AIAA Citation: For sustained, exceptional contributions to the mechanics and energetic requirements of human performance across the continuum of gravity, advanced space suit design and navigation aids for EVA astronauts.

2017

  • Dr Raymond Wheeler
    NASA - KSC
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For exceptional contributions to space life sciences through advancement of bioregenerative closed-loop life support toward furthering sustainable, long-term human habitation of space

2016

  • Dr Robert J. Ferl
    University of Florida
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For conducting cutting edge space biology, and for mentoring others in spaceflight research; pushing the boundaries of where biology can travel.

2015

  • Hubert "Vic" Vykukal
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For outstanding, long-term contributions to human space exploration through the development of advanced space suits and protective systems technologies.

2014

  • Dr Paul Webb
    Webb Elastic Garments Group
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For seminal research in bioastronautics, contributions to the essential technical references for human space flight scientists and engineers, and innovative ideas that continue to inspire cutting edge research.

2013

  • Dr Jonathan B Clark
    Baylor College of Medicine
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For significant contributions to aerospce medicine and for pioneering work in the field of commercial spaceflight.

2012

  • Cary A Mitchell
    Purdue University
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For outstanding contributions to space life sciences through ground-based research and project leadership.

2011

  • Dr Louis Stodieck
    BioServe Space Technologies - University of Colorado at Boulder
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For exceptional research achievements in furthering the understanding of physiological effects of microgravity, life support systems for space, and applications of microgravity to biotechnology through academic, industry, and government partnerships.

2010

  • Mr Kenneth A Souza
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For excellence and leadership in space research, particularly in the study of the magnetosphere and its consequences for radiation effects on earth orbiting satellites.

2009

  • Dr John C Sager
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: In recognition of outstanding contributions to the space life sciences through advancement of technologies for enabling the long-term human habitation of space.

2008

  • Dr Malcolm M Cohen
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For outstanding work for the aeronautical medical community in developing, implementing, and assessing countermeasures to physiological and psychological effects of all aspects of space travel.

2007

  • Dr Mark H. Kliss
    NASA Ames Research Center
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For dedication and technology focus toward creating a healthy environment for humans as the Vision for Exploration goes forward.

2006

  • John W Hines
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For committed outstanding work in developing and implementing biomedical and life detection sensors supporting both aerospace missions and application to civilian needs.

2005

  • Ms. Bonnie P Dalton
    NASA-Ames
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For outstanding leadership of groundbreaking flight experiments and payloads in space biology for the past three decades.

2004

  • Dr William Knott
    NASA
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For 25 years of contributions to the space biology community and the ecological monitoring community.

2003

  • Dr Bobby Alford
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For your continued leadership contributions to NASA Life Sciences Program culminating as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of the National Space Biomedical Institute, a consortium of 12 universities.”

2002

  • Mr. Gautam Badhwar
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: In recognition of outstanding work as Program Scientist for the second Spacelab Life Sciences (SLS-2) mission, which resulted in a deeper understanding of the physiological consequences of space flight on crew health and performance.

2001

  • Mr. Maurice Averner
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For contributions to NASA’s biology research programs both flight and ground, and his science guidance for the Life Sciences and Systems Technical Committee.

2000

  • Margaret R Seddon
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For outstanding research accomplishments in aerospace medicine and space life sciences

1999

  • Roscoe G Bartlett Jr.
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For pioneering contributions to aeronautical and aerospace medicine through more than 20 patented inventions on respiratory support and safety devices used by pilots, astronauts, rescue workers, pioneering NASA life-sciences space experiments, and over 100 publications

1998

  • Frank Sulzman
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: In recognition of outstanding work as Program Scientist for the second Spacelab Life Sciences (SLS-2) mission, which resulted in a deeper understanding of the physiological consequences of space flight on crew health and performance

1996

  • Dr Norman E Thagard
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: In recognition of outstanding contributions to the advancement of aerospace medical research, and extensive contributions to numerous medical experiments on the MIR space station, IML-1, STS-30, STS-51B, and STS-7, which have greatly advanced the understanding of human physiology in microgravity

1995

  • Fredrick E Guedry Jr.
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For outstanding contributions to the advancement of aerospace medical research and operational applications in the field of biophysical and physiological mechanisms of vestibular function, spatial disorientation phenomena, and the psychophysics of vestibular sensation

1994

  • Dolores O`Hara
    Awarded-CoRecipients
    AIAA Citation: For outstanding contributions to the advancement of aerospace medical research using head-down bedrest to understand the mechanism of prolonged microgravity
  • Dr Joan Vernikos
    Awarded-CoRecipients
    AIAA Citation: For outstanding contributions to the advancement of aerospace medical research using head-down bedrest to understand the mechanism of prolonged microgravity

1993

  • Mr. Victor S Schneider
    NASA-Langley Research Center
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For leadership in developing cooperative bone densitometry research in conjunction with the medical evaluation of cosmonauts from long-duration flights on the Russian space station MIR

1992

  • Principal Investigators of the SpaceLab Life Science 1 Mission
    Principal Investigators of the SpaceLab Life Science 1 Mission
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For outstanding contributions to space biology and medicine as a principal investigator on the Spacelab Life Sciences 1 mission. The dedication to excellence in life sciences research has resulted in significant advancements in understanding basic physiologic mechanisms and the effects of weightlessness on human physiology.

1991

  • Frank H Austin
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: In recognition of over thirty years of aeromedical research including development of the aerospace medical requirements for Space Station Freedom Crew Systems, flight crew medical standards, and medical operations research

1990

  • Charles O Hopkins
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For pioneering work in the development of cockpit displays, controls, and simulators; analysis of pilot decision making and space human factors, and for establishing the Human Performance Laboratory at McDonnell Douglas Corporation.

1989

  • Kent Gillingham
    Awarded-CoRecipients
    AIAA Citation: For documenting the effects of G-Induced Loss of Consciousness (G-LOC) on pilot performance, quantifying recovery time post G.LOC, and developing G-Training programs to help prevent G-LOC
  • James O Houghton
    Awarded-CoRecipients
    AIAA Citation: For documenting the effects of G-Induced Loss of Consciousness (G-LOC) on pilot performance, quantifying recovery time post G.LOC, and developing G-Training programs to help prevent G-LOC

1988

  • Dr Carolyn L Huntoon
    Retired
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For outstanding contributions to space biology and medicine during the Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, Space Shuttle, and Spacelab Programs. In the endocrine laboratory she established important research on renal, cardiovascular, endocrine, and electrolyte phenomena resulting in a better understanding to he effects of weightlessness on human physiology

1987

  • Dr John P Meehan Jr.
    USC School of Medicine
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For outstanding contributions to the solutions of problems in human physiology affecting crew in aviation and space flight, and for his continuing efforts in aerospace medical research

1986

  • Dr Charles E Billings
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For pioneering scientific research which conclusively demonstrates many important relationships between human physiology, human behavior and performance, aviation medicine, and the effectiveness and safety of civil and military aircraft operations

1985

  • Dr William E Thornton
    NASA Johnson Space Center
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For devotion and participation in medical research for Shuttle Missions which has greatly increased our understanding of space motion sickness and mankind''s adoption to new environments just as Dr. John Jeffries did 200 years earlier

1983

  • Dr Paul Buchanan
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For outstanding contributions to the research in space medicine which enhanced the safety of manned space flight in long duration missions

1982

  • Dr Arnauld E Nicogossian
    NASA Headquarters
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For unique and outstanding contributions to biomedical technology and space medicine in support of manned spaceflight for the Apollo, Skylab and Shuttle program

1981

  • Mr. Sam L Pool
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For establishing and directing outstanding programs of medical research in order to understand the physiological effects of space flight on man and devise countermeasures when such effects are adverse

1980

  • Stephen L Kimzey
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For outstanding contributions toward identifying and unraveling the mechanisms of red cell loss in space flight and toward understanding the hematologic response to space flight

1979

  • William L Smith
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For outstanding contribution to the advancement of aerospace medical research in the development of innovative crew emergency and life-sustaining breathing and protective equipment in aeronautics and astronautics

1978

  • Prof Heinz S Fuchs
    Major General GAF MC RET
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For outstanding research contributions and significant practical achievements in clinical aerospace medicine, resulting in operationally oriented aeromedical standards and enhancement of flight safety.

1977

  • Dr Harald von Beckh
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For significant research contributions to aerospace medicine in the areas of weightlessness, acceleration protection, and accidental decompression

1975

  • Mr. Lawrence F Dietlein
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For most significant contributions to space medicine in Skylab by assuring the qualification of physiological changes/adaptation caused by weightlessness

1974

  • COL Malcolm C Lancaster
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For research in clinical aerospace medicine

1973

  • Karl H Houghton
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For major contributions to the manned spaceflight program in Biomedicine and Biotechnology through inspired leadership of an interdisciplinary team whose integrated efforts over a 10-year period have led to major improvements in medical safety, comfort and effectiveness of man in space.

1972

  • CAPT Roger G Ireland
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For outstanding effort and achievements, over a long time span, in improving the flight safety of aerospace flight personnel, particularly in the areas of life support systems and rescue systems.

1971

  • Mr. Richard S Johnston
    Richard S. Johnston & Asso Inc
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For outstanding contributions to the advancement of Manned Space Flight and aerospace medical research through his leadership in the development of life support system

1970

  • Walton L Jones
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For outstanding contribution to the life sciences program in the areas of aerospace medicine, physiology, microbiology, biochemistry, psychology, human factors, bioinstrumentation and engineering

1969

  • Frank B Voris
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For outstanding contributions to the advancement of aeronautics and astronautics through managerial leadership and technical foresight in developing and promoting medial research and development programs

1968

  • Loren D Carlson
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For outstanding leadership in aerospace physiology in the scientific community

1967

  • Dr Charles I. Barron
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For outstanding contributions of solution to problems affecting crew and passenger safety in military and civilian aviation and his continuing devotion to aviation medicine training of the highest quality.

1966

  • Dr Charles A Berry
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For exceptionally outstanding contribution to the medical support of manned spaceflight

1965

  • Dr William K Douglas
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For outstanding contributions to the advancement of aeronautics and astronautics, your writings, lectures and research, and your continued dedication to the study of medical problems relating to the aeronaut and the astronaut.

1964

  • Eugene Konecci
    Awarded

1962

  • James L Goddard
    Awarded

1961

  • Ashton Graybiel
    Awarded

1960

  • CAPT Joseph W Kittinger
    Awarded

1959

  • Dr Don D Flickinger
    Awarded

1958

  • Dr Hubertus Strughold
    Awarded

1957

  • David G. Simons
    Awarded

1956

  • Ross A McFarland
    Awarded

1955

  • Dr Wilbur E Kellum
    Awarded

1954

  • Dr James P Henry
    Awarded

1953

  • CAPT Charles F Gell
    Awarded

1952

  • Dr John P Stapp
    Awarded

1951

  • CAPT John R Poppen
    Awarded

1950

  • BGen Otis O Bensen
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For outstanding contributions to the Advancement of Aeronautics through Medical Research

1949

  • A D Tuttle
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For outstanding contributions to the Advancement of Aeronautics through Medical Research

1948

  • Dr W Randolph Lovelace II
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For outstanding contributions to the Advancement of Aeronautics through Medical Research

1947

  • J Winifred Tice
    Awarded

1946

  • BGen Malcom C Grow
    Awarded

1945

  • John C Adams
    Awarded

1944

  • Sir Harold E Wittingham
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For outstanding contributions to the Advancement of Aeronautics through Medical Research

1943

  • BGen Eugene G Reinartz
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For outstanding contributions to the Advancement of Aeronautics through Medical Research

1942

  • MAJ Edward Charles Schneider
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For pioneering research in aviation medicine, particularly for the development of the Schneider Physical-Fitness Index used to test the condition of airplane pilots

1941

  • MAJ Harry C Armstrong
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For his contribution to the general over-all safety of aviation and the protection of pilots in flight

1940

  • Louis Bauer
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: For outstanding contributions to the Advancement of Aeronautics through Medical Research