Skip to main content

The UHMS Annual Awards

The Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society presents yearly awards to select individuals recognized for their significant contributions to the specialty of undersea and hyperbaric medicine.

All members of the UHMS in good standing are invited to nominate any individual for their choice of the following awards. 

  • Please note requirements for nomination as described within the award description.
  • To submit nominations, please fill in the attached form. Please note it is important in assisting the awards committee to write a short citation of a maximum of 300 words outlining the reasons why your nominee is deserving of the award. 
  • Two or more individuals may be jointly nominated for any award if, in the opinion of the nominator, contributed significantly to the effort or project prompting the nomination (for example, a joint research effort).
  • Nominations for an individual who has received the same award previously may be considered after a minimum of 5 years has elapsed since the previous award, however only in the event that the current nomination is strictly based upon substantial contributions that differ from those of the prior award.
  • Awards may not be awarded in the absence of a suitable nominee

Full details of the nomination and voting process may be found in the Awards Committee Charter (click here).


SUBMISSION DEADLINE DATE: APRIL 15

ONLINE nominations forms are linked on the award descriptions below.


The Albert R. Behnke Award

This is the premier award of the UHMS. This award is presented at the annual meeting to an individual in recognition of outstanding scientific contributions to advances in the undersea or hyperbaric biomedical field.

  • Nominee is not required to be a UHMS Member
View the Prior Recipients
2023 Michael Strauss 
2022 David Doolette
2021 John Feldmeier
2020 Paul Sheffield
2019 Enrico Camporesi
2018 Paul Cianci
2017 Wayne Gerth
2016 Alfred Bove
2015 Neil Hampson
2014 Paul Weathersby
2013 Richard Moon
2012 Richard Vann
2011 Alf Brubakk
2010 Simon Mitchell
2009 Keith Van Meter
2008 Stephen R. Thom
2007 Tom S. Neuman
2006 David R. Pendergast
2005 Jean-Claude Rostain
2004 None awarded
2003 James Francis
2002 Yoram "Rami" Grossman
2001 Michael Bennett
2000 None
1999 Noemi Bitterman
1998 Ronald Y. Nishi
1997 Claes E.G. Lundgren
1996 Stephen R. Thom
1995 Alf Brubakk
1994 Dag Linnarsson
1993 Jon T. Mader
1992 John M. Hallenbeck
1991 Jefferson C. Davis
1990 Mark E.Bradley
1989 Heinz R. Schreiner
1988 Herbert A. Saltzman
1987 Leon E. Farhi,
1986 Ralph W. Brauer
1985 Dennis N. Walder
1984 Otto Van Der Aue
1983 Peter B. Bennett
1982 E.E.P. Barnard
1981 Xavier Fructus
1980 Carl Magnus Hesser
1979 John W. Bean
1978 Karl E. Schaefer
1977 Edward H. Lanphier
1976 H.V. Hempleman
1975 Edgar End
1974 Hermann Rahn
1973 Hermann Rahn,
1972 Kenneth W. Donald
1971 George F. Bond
1970 Christian J. Lambertsen
1969 Albert R. Behnke

Excellence in Commercial Diving Award

This award is presented at the annual meeting to a UHMS member for outstanding contributions to the commercial diving industry in the area of increased productivity or performance of the working diver. Specific recognition is given to practical application of biomedical knowledge to the solution of problems encountered in diving operations.

  • Nominee must be a UHMS Member
View the Prior Recipients
2023 Philip Bryson
2022 None awarded
2021 None awarded
2020 Robert Sanders
2019 None awarded
2018 Owen O’Neill
2017 Tony Alleman
2016 Keith Van Meter
2015 David Smart
2014 Joseph Serio
2013 None awarded
2012 Mahito Kawashima
2011 Stephen Reimers
2010 Eric Fink
2009 None awarded
2008 Yoshihiro Mano
2007 Kevan P. Corson
2006 None awarded
2005 None awarded
2004 None awarded
2003 David Doolette
2002 David M. Heaney
2001 None awarded
2000 None awarded
1999 None awarded
1998 Andre Galerne
1997 Robert Wong
1996 C. Gordon Daugherty
1995 J. Morgan Wells
1994 William P. Fife
1993 Richard E. Moon
1992 Richard D. Vann
1991 Ichiro Nashimoto
1990 None awarded
1989 Wouter Sterk
1988 Robert W. Hamilton
1987 Peter Edel
1986 Henri G. DeLauze
1985 Glen H. Egstrom
1984 Dick Clarke
1983 David A. Youngblood
1982 None awarded
1981 David H. Elliott
1980 Hannes Keller
1979 Paul Webb
1978 Edward T. Flynn & William H. Spaur
1977 Albert A. Buhlmann
1976 Xavier Fructus, Robert Naquet, Jean Claude Rostain
1975  Peter Bennett

Excellence in Diving Medicine Award

This award is presented at the annual meeting to an individual UHMS member for an outstanding contribution to teaching, education, science and/or safety in the field of Diving Medicine and related fields.

  • Nominee must be a UHMS Member
View the Prior Recipients
2023 Robert "Bob" Sanders
2022 Richard "Dick" Sadler
2021 Nick Bird
2020 Peter Wilmshurst
2019 Bruce Derrick
2018 Jim Chimiak
2017 Petar Denoble
2016 Simon Mitchell
2015 Neal Pollock
2014 John Freiberger & John Wassel
2013 James Holm & Tracy LeGros
2012 D. Lindsie Cone
2011 Morgan Wells & Dick Rutkowski
2010 Jim Joiner
2009 Guy Dear
2008 Alessandro Marroni &
Donald R. Chandler
2007 E.Cuauhtemoc Sanchez &
Keith Van Meter
2006 Tom S. Neuman & Eric Kindwall
2005 David Smart / Mike Davis
2004 Dick Clarke
2003 Richard D. Vann & Helen T. Davis
2002 Glenn J. Butler & Mahito Kawashima
2001 Wilbur T.Workman & Oskar F. Ehm
2000 Drew Richardson, Michael A. Lang, Jordi Desola, Jurg Wendling
1999 Keith Van Meter & Carl Edmonds
1998 E. Cuauhtemoc Sanchez &
Robert W. Hamilton
1997 Robert M. Wong & Paul J. Sheffield
1996 Joel Dovenbarger & David H. Elliott
1995 Glen H., Egstrom & Hideyo Takahashi
1994 Hugh D. VanLiew & Enrico Camporesi
1993 Eric P. Kindwall & George B. Hart
1992 DAN & Dirk J. Bakker
1991 Merrill P. Spencer &
Mary Anne Rokitka
1990 Yehuda Melamed &
Ramsdale R. Pearson
1989 James W. Miller
1988 Alfred A. Bove & Robert C. Bornmann
1987 Carl Edmonds &
James Vorosmarti, Jr
1986 James R. Stewart & Arthur J. Bachrach
1985 Jefferson C. Davis &
Andrew A. Pilmanis
1984 Paul G. Linaweaver &
Hugh D. VanLiew
1983 Philip B. James &
Norman S. Portenoy
1982 James T. Joiner & Charles W. Shilling
1981 Norman K.I. McIver
1980 None awarded
1979 Georges Arnoux & Robert Holland
1978 S.A. Warner

Excellence in Hyperbaric Medicine Award

This award is presented at the annual meeting to an individual UHMS member in recognition of continued diligence and excellence in the practice of hyperbaric medicine, particularly in areas of basic and clinical research as it might impact patient care.

  • Nominee must be a UHMS Member
View the Prior Recipients
2023 Shai Efrati
2022 Owen J. O'Neill
2021 Enoch Huang and Davut Savaser
2020 None awarded
2019 Susan Churchill
2018 Michael Bennett
2017 Brett Hart
2016 Caroline Fife
2015 Laurie Gesell
2014 Helen Gelly
2013 Paul L. Claus
2012 Heather Murphy-Lavoie
2011 No Recipient
2010 Neil Hampson
2009 Jayesh Shah
2008 Robert Warriner, III
2007 J. Benjamin Slade
2006 Jim and Susan Joiner
2005 None awarded
2004 Martin R. Hamilton-Farrell
2003 Michael Strauss
2002 Lindell Weaver

The Young Scientist or Medical Doctor Award

This award is presented at the annual meeting to an individual UHMS member. It is to recognize the work of a young scientist or medical doctor whose performance is consistently outstanding. The recipient can be either a clinician or researcher practicing in hyperbaric and/or diving medicine and must not be older than 40 years of age.

  • Nominee must be a UHMS Member
View the Prior Recipients
2023 Kristi Ray
2022 Dan Popa and Jon Stockton
2021 None awarded
2020 Virginie Papadopoulou
2019 Charlotte Sadler
2018 Dawn Kernagis
2017 Cory R. Dubose & Yolanda Michetti
2016 Walter Chin
2015 Takuya Oyaizu
2014 Mimi Sammarco, PhD
2013 Bruce J. Derrick & Masaki Horie
2012 Anne Cherry
2011 No Recipient
2010 Jorge Dario Gomez Castillo
2009 Amir Mor
2008 None Awarded
2007 Jayesh Shah

The Paul C. Baker Award for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Safety Excellence Award

This award is for an Associate Member, in good standing, for outstanding contributions to the advancement of safety in hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Specific attention is given to those who have implemented outstanding hyperbaric safety programs, authored hyperbaric safety publications, developed, or presented on hyperbaric safety related research. The award may be made for a single contribution of great importance or for many contributions over the years.

  • Nominee must be a UHMS Associate Member
View the Prior Recipients
2023 Andrew Melnyczenko
2022 Richard "Gus" Gustavson
2021 Kaye Moseley
2020 Greg Brown
2019 Geness Koumandakis
2018 None Awarded
2017 None Awarded
2016 Sherri Ferguson
2015 Julio Garcia
2014 James Bell
2013 Jeff Mize
2012 Francois Burman
2011 Kevin "Kip” Posey
2010 Richard Barry
2009 Stacy Handley
2008 Terry Beard
2007 Steve Fabus
2006 Steve Wood
2005 Greg Raleigh
2004 Kevin Corson & Christy Pirone
2003 Robert Sheffield
2002 Jay Duchnick
2001 Sue DeSantis & Ken Rideout
2000 Brian Foley
1999 Jim McCarthy
1998 Dick Clarke
1997 Paul Baker

Excellence in Critical Care Hyperbaric Medicine Award

This award is presented at the annual meeting to an Associate member in recognition of all the hyperbaric nurses and hyperbaric technicians that currently spend countless hours on-call as well as dealing with the tragedy and trauma of critical cases in life and death situations worldwide. The specific focus of this award is on the provision of critical care with 24/7 availability, whether in support of commercial or sport diving, undersea medicine, or in the clinical hyperbaric medicine arena. This award is restricted to a nurse or technical staff member from a 24/7 facility.

  • Nominee must be a UHMS Associate Member
View the Prior Recipients
2023 Geness Koumandakis
2022 Jacinta Showers
2021 Virginia "Ginny" Nolting and Johnny Sanchez
2020 None Awarded
2019 Julio R. Garcia
2018 Greg Brown
2017 Esacar Agbay, Jr.
2016 Wafa Daoud & Megan Zynkian
2015 Mary Chin
2014 Brock Chamberlain
2013 Diane McNamara
2012 Richard “Gus” Gustavson
2011 Tiffany Hamm
2010 Jeff Mize
2009 No Recipient
2008 Ted Gurnee