Four sleep and circadian scientists will be recognized for their contributions to research, education, and public service at SLEEP 2026.
Key takeaways:
- The Sleep Research Society named H. Craig Heller, PhD, Kamran Diba, PhD, Michael Scullin, PhD, and Deydre Teyhen, DPT, PhD, FAPTA, as its 2026 award recipients.
- The awards honor achievements across basic and clinical research, educational outreach, and public service in the sleep field.
- The winners will be officially recognized during the plenary session at the SLEEP 2026 conference in Baltimore.
The Sleep Research Society (SRS) has selected four sleep and circadian scientists as recipients of the 2026 SRS awards, recognizing excellence in the sleep and circadian research field.
This year’s award winners will be recognized during the plenary session at SLEEP 2026 in June.
Distinguished Scientist Award
H. Craig Heller, PhD, received the Distinguished Scientist Award, which honors significant, original, and sustained scientific contributions of a basic, clinical, or theoretical nature made over an entire career. Heller joined Stanford University in 1972, where he is now the Lorry I. Lokey/Business Wire professor of biology and human biology. His research focuses on the neurobiology of sleep, circadian rhythms, and thermoregulation. His laboratory has studied mammalian hibernation, the roles of sleep and circadian rhythms in learning and memory—specifically regarding Down Syndrome—and the regulation of body temperature in humans.
Outstanding Scientific Achievement Award
Kamran Diba, PhD, was awarded the Outstanding Scientific Achievement Award for novel and seminal discoveries that have made a significant impact on the sleep field. Diba has spent over 20 years exploring how neuronal circuits coordinate to represent, store, and transfer information, and how different brain states shape these processes. His work primarily focuses on the hippocampus. His laboratory is known for conducting exceptionally long-duration recordings from large ensembles of spiking neurons in freely behaving and sleeping rodents.
Mary A. Carskadon Outstanding Educator Award
Michael Scullin, PhD, received the Mary A. Carskadon Outstanding Educator Award for excellence in education related to the sleep and circadian research field. Scullin is a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Baylor University, where he investigates the intersections of sleep, cognition, and educational learning. He is known for his “Eight Hour Sleep Challenge” and outreach projects that disseminate sleep science to community members. Over the past decade, his team partnered with the Mayborn Museum to create interactive pop-up exhibits and recently installed a permanent museum fixture, Sleep Lab: The Exhibit. He currently serves as vice chair of the SRS communications committee.
Public Service Award
Brigadier general Deydre Teyhen, DPT, PhD, FAPTA, was honored with the Public Service Award for significant and extraordinary contributions to the mission of the SRS above and beyond research and educational activities. Prior to becoming the commanding general, Medical Readiness Command, Pacific and director, Defense Health Network Indo-Pacific, she served in numerous senior leadership roles. During the pandemic, she served as the Department of Defense lead of therapeutics for Operation Warp Speed at the US Department of Health and Human Services and as the commander for the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. Her career has focused on improving healthcare delivery, holistic health, and military readiness.
