91Â鶹ÌìÃÀ

The 91Â鶹ÌìÃÀ Lifetime Achievement Award is 91Â鶹ÌìÃÀ's premier award for sustained contributions to the microbiological sciences.

2026 91Â鶹ÌìÃÀ Lifetime Achievement Awardee

Jennifer Doudna, Ph.D.

University of California, Berkeley

Eligibility

Nominees must be advocates, active or retired, in any area relevant to the microbiological sciences. Nominees must be well respected in the microbial science community for their integrity, research and dedication to promoting and advancing the microbial sciences.

Nominators must address how the nominees meet the criteria and how they have made significant contributions to the microbial sciences field.

Nominations must include:

1. Nomination Form. Nominator will need to create a free 91Â鶹ÌìÃÀ account or log in to their current 91Â鶹ÌìÃÀ account to complete the nomination. Self-nominations will not be accepted (in other words, you cannot nominate yourself for the award).
2. Curriculum Vitae (CV) of the nominee is required to complete the nomination. After the nomination form is submitted by the nominator, the nominee will be contacted by 91Â鶹ÌìÃÀ and asked to provide a current CV or enter highlights from their CV on a CV template. Completing the CV template is highly recommended; however, the selection committee will accept either the template or the nominee’s current CV.
3. Nominee Statement. Nominees will be asked to provide a nominee statement describing their most significant contributions to the field of microbial sciences, explaining how their contributions meet the criteria for the award and why they are deserving of the award.

Awardee Benefits

The Award Laureate will receive the following honors:

• One time waiver to publish an article without charge in 1 of 91Â鶹ÌìÃÀ Journals.
• A cash prize of $1,400.
• Personalized commemorative keepsake.
• Be invited to speak at the next 91Â鶹ÌìÃÀ Microbe meeting.
• Be recognized at the next 91Â鶹ÌìÃÀ Microbe meeting and be invited as honored guests at the 91Â鶹ÌìÃÀ and American Academy of Microbiology leadership receptions.

Frequently Asked Questions

For answers to the most frequently asked questions about 91Â鶹ÌìÃÀ awards, see the Awards and Prize FAQs page.

Award Selection Process

All eligible nominations will be reviewed by the respective award selection committee. The committee members will use the nomination materials to evaluate each nominee using the described eligibility criteria. The committee will discuss outstanding candidates and determine the awardee for that year. The committee takes into consideration various factors about the nominees in the decision to ensure the selected awardee is a strong example of excellence in the field.

A list of selection committee members of the 91Â鶹ÌìÃÀ Lifetime Achievement Award is available from awards@asmusa.org. 91Â鶹ÌìÃÀ awards are granted at the discretion of award selection committees and might not be awarded every year.

Questions? Contact awards@asmusa.org.