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Early 2026 – Distinguished Scientist nominations open.

Distinguished Scientist Nominations

Any active American Heart Association member is invited to submit nominations for the Distinguished Scientist Award. This award recognizes our members who have made major and independent contributions to research anchored in cardiovascular, stroke or brain health.

To preserve the prestige of this highly competitive title, the requirements for election are stringent. Please review the information below as well as the information in the Nominations Guidelines & Criteria section before beginning the application process.

  • The Distinguished Scientist (DS) Selection Committee will consider all types of research including basic, clinical and population research. We encourage you to collaborate with other councils to nominate candidates that cross disciplines.
  • Nomination does not automatically lead to election as a Distinguished Scientist; an intensive review of each candidate’s credentials is conducted in order to make a decision.
  • Deadline: Spring 2026. More details TBA.

Nominations must include all requested items before it can be submitted.

2026 Distinguished Scientist Nomination Guidelines (PDF)
Distinguished Election History (PDF)

Steps for completing a Distinguished Scientist Nomination

  1. Review the Nomination Guidelines to see criteria and required materials that must be provided with the submission. Submitters may work with their intended nominee(s) to gather the required materials for formal submission.
  2. Identify and contact individuals to write letters of recommendation early to allow plenty of time for the letters to be created.
  3. Download and complete the Nomination Form. The form should be typed and saved as a .pdf. Once complete, upload to the Nomination Submission link.
  4. All documents (except the photo) need to be uploaded as .pdf files. The photo should be a .jpg file.
  5. The submission process does not have to be completed in one sitting. You may save what you’ve uploaded and go back to it later. If you save before completion, you will receive an email with a link to take you back to your unfinished submission.
  6. All required documents must be attached before the nomination can be submitted.

Distinguished Scientist Nomination Submission Form

The nomination form is not available at this time. Please check back later.

Questions?