Five individuals have been selected as the 2025 American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) award recipients for their outstanding contributions to the field of sleep medicine. They will be recognized Monday, June 9, during the plenary session of the SLEEP 2025 annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies in Seattle.
“Congratulations to this year’s award recipients for their exceptional dedication to advancing the field of sleep medicine,” says AASM president Eric J. Olson, MD, in a release. “Their leadership and achievements in research, education, advocacy, and clinical care reflect our shared vision that sleep and circadian care is fundamental to health care. Their work not only enhances the lives of patients today but also paves the way for continued progress in sleep health for future generations.”
The 2025 AASM award recipients were nominated by a colleague, recommended by the Awards Advisory Panel, and approved by the board of directors.
Distinguished Leadership Award
Carol Rosen, MD, wins the Distinguished Leadership Award.
Rosen is a professor emerita at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) School of Medicine and a past board member of the AASM. She taught pediatric pulmonary medicine at Baylor, Yale, and CWRU, where she led the Rainbow Babies & Children’s sleep medicine program for over 20 years. She remains active as a member of the AASM Guidelines Advisory Panel and a consultant on National Institutes of Health sleep research. Her clinical and research interests include diagnostic testing for sleep-disordered breathing and managing pediatric sleep disorders.
Excellence in Research Award
Reena Mehra, MD, MS wins the Excellence in Research Award.
Mehra is recognized for research that has directly informed and shaped clinical practice in cardiovascular sleep medicine, with a primary focus on atrial fibrillation. She is the division head of pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine and the A. Bruce Montgomery, MD, American Lung Association Endowed Chair in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at the University of Washington. Previously, she directed the sleep research program at the Cleveland Clinic, advancing large-scale, data-driven scientific innovations. She has authored more than 200 publications, delivered over 350 national and international lectures, and mentored more than 45 trainees.
Excellence in Education Award
Ilene Rosen, MD, MS, wins the Excellence in Education Award.
Rosen is an associate professor of medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine and serves as associate dean for graduate medical education and vice president for graduate medical education at the University of Pennsylvania Health System. A past president of the AASM, she played a key role in developing competency-based training pathways for sleep medicine. Her research focuses on innovative sleep medicine education and expanding access to care. An expert in fatigue management, she has received multiple awards for her contributions to education and leadership in sleep medicine.
Sleep Health Advocate Award
Nathaniel Watson, MD, MS, wins the Sleep Health Advocate Award.
Watson is a professor and vice chair of faculty affairs in the department of neurology at the University of Washington, where he co-directs the sleep center and directs the Harborview Medical Center Sleep Clinic. A past president of the AASM, his research examines sleep disturbances, including the genetic aspects of sleep duration, metabolic disease, mental health, and inflammation. His current work explores sleep’s role in cancer risk, artificial intelligence in sleep medicine, and improving sleep care for Native American communities. A dedicated advocate, he champions healthy school start times, daylight saving time reform, and transportation safety.
Clinical Achievement Award
Dennis Hwang, MD, wins the Clinical Achievement Award.
Hwang is the regional co-chair of sleep medicine at Kaiser Permanente Southern California, where he develops clinical strategies to optimize sleep population health and personalized care delivery. His research focuses on health services, leveraging big data to identify care gaps and develop AI-driven tools for clinical translation. He has chaired and served on multiple AASM committees related to technology and telemedicine, contributing to innovations that enhance sleep medicine care. He holds a medical degree from the University of Illinois College of Medicine and a bachelor’s degree from Princeton University in molecular biology.
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