Previous Honorees

The World Brain Mapping Foundation (WBMF) is pleased to announce the winners of this year’s awards. These awards recognize outstanding achievements in brain mapping research, education, and service.

501 (c)(3)

Non-Profit Charitable Organization

Gathering For Cure Awards

Beacon of Courage and Dedication Award

The Beacon Award is presented to individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary courage and dedication for increasing awareness about neurological diseases, and for patients and their families who have exceeded expectations in fighting a neurological disorder with unprecedented courage. The Beacon Award identifies remarkable individuals who set the highest standards for increasing awareness of, and fighting, neurological diseases.

Humanitarian Award

The Humanitarian Award is given to physicians and scientists who have contributed significantly to survival and quality of life of patients across the Globe.

Pioneer in Technology Award

The Pioneer in Technology Award is presented to the trail blazing companies and their CEOs/presidents who have facilitated the development of pioneering technologies through interdisciplinary approaches that have impacted diagnostics, treatment, and healthcare delivery in unprecedented ways.

Pioneer in Medicine Award

The Pioneer in Medicine Award is presented to individuals who have significantly contributed to the scientific advancement in the fields of medicine and image guided therapy through a multidisciplinary approach. Their groundbreaking contributions have made development of state-of-the-art technology and scientific discovery a reality.

Pioneer in Healthcare Policy Award

The Pioneer in Healthcare Policy Award is presented to lawmakers who have demonstrated visionary and crossdisciplinary approaches to introducing laws that have contributed to the advancement of science, technology, education, and medicine. They have paved the way to better integration of such advancements in other fields, like medicine and neuroscience. These lawmakers champion better healthcare for all.

Golden Axon Leadership Award

Add Your The Golden Axon Leadership Award is presented to individuals outside of the medical community who inspire with good will and an enthusiastic interest in science, technology and medicine. Named for the neuron cell fiber that carries outgoing messages to other target cells, the founding principle of the Axon Award is to recognize a highly regarded individual in the public sector who helps raise awareness and funding of WBMF and its mission in the community via fundraising event(s) and activities.eading Text Here

Young Investigator Award

The WBMF Young Investigator’s Initiative is designed to recognize promising young scientists performing work in the brain sciences relevant to the World Brain Mapping Foundation. While this year’s awardees will not be receiving any financial incentives, this recognition will be a stepping stone for future recognition within and beyond the WBMF’s wide ranging collaborative partners.

Student Service and Leadership Award

The WBMF Student Service and Leadership Award is given to recognize excellence and commitment to dedicated fellows, interns, and students who have contributed to the advancement of medicine, specifically the neurosciences.

Robin Sidhu Memorial Young Scientist Award

Add Your Heading TLate Robin Sidhu (1988 – 2015), a young ebullient science driven and information technology (IT) savvy person, died of an accident at an early age. His mission to accomplish in-depth understanding of human mind and health remained incomplete due to his early departure but his legacy will remain through supporting young innovative minds in science through this award.ext Here

Beacon of Courage and Dedication Award

Minoru Freund

March 13, 2025

Dr. Minoru M. Freund Award Presentation: BEACON OF COURAGE AND DEDICATION AWARD (VIDEO)

Beth Nielsen Chapman

March 13, 2025

Brain Tumor Survivor, Singer/Songwriter, 2013 Award Recipient

Montel Williams

March 13, 2025

Montel Williams is American television personality, radio talk show host, and actor.

Stephen Hawking

March 13, 2025

Professor Stephen Hawking Beacon of Courage and Dedication Award Stephen William Hawking (8 January 1942 – 14 March 2018) was an English theoretical physicist, cosmologist, and author who, at

William Kyle Carpenter

March 13, 2025

Dr. Bennet Omalu, Congressman Andy Harris and Corporal Carpenter Receive Prestigious Recognition by a Leading BRAIN MAPPING ASSOCIATION, which has Launched and Supported GLOBAL BRAIN

Travis Roy

March 13, 2025

Founder, Travis Roy Foundation for Spinal Cord Injury Grants & Research

Humanitarian Award

Anthony Fauci

March 26, 2025

From Wikipedia Anthony Stephen Fauci (/ˈfaʊtʃi/ FOW-chee; born December 24, 1940) is an American physician-scientist and immunologist who served as the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) from

Sanjay Gupta

March 26, 2025

From Wikipedia Sanjay Gupta (born October 23, 1969) is an American neurosurgeon, medical reporter, and writer. He serves as associate chief of the neurosurgery service at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta,

General Mark Milley

March 26, 2025

GENERAL MARK A. MILLEY Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark A. Milley is the 20th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,

Oleksandra Kashyrina

March 26, 2025

<a href=”https://www.nbclosangeles.com/on-air/doctors-around-the-world-offer-to-help-ukraine/2846524/?amp”>https://www.nbclosangeles.com/on-air/doctors-around-the-world-offer-to-help-ukraine/2846524/?amp</a>

Deepak Chopra

March 26, 2025

DEEPAK CHOPRA MD, MD, FACP, FRCP founder of The Chopra Foundation, a non-profit entity for research on well-being and humanitarianism, and Chopra Global, a modern-day

Alya Michelson

March 26, 2025

Co-chair of Michelson Philanthropies a Los Angeles-based private operating foundation striving to create transformative opportunities that support vulnerable and underserved communities. Founded FirstGen, a storytelling

Pioneer in Technology Development Award

Reese S. Terry Jr.

March 27, 2025

X2 Biosystems

March 27, 2025

X2 Biosystems Awarded Pioneer in Healthcare Technology Award by The Society for Brain Mapping and Therapeutics Award recognizes X2’s innovations in impact sensor technology shown

Mei Mei Hu

March 27, 2025

Co-founder, Chief Executive Officer, and a member of the Board of Directors of United Neuroscience

Louis Reese

March 27, 2025

Jean Gaspard

March 27, 2025

Richard Tyc

March 27, 2025

Vice President of Technology and Advance Development, Monteris Medical

Pioneer in Medicine Award

Michael E. Phelps

March 27, 2025

Maya Koronyo-Hamaoui

March 27, 2025

Margie L. Homer

March 27, 2025

Rafat Ansari

March 27, 2025

Yosef Koronyo

March 27, 2025

Wieslaw L. Nowinski

March 27, 2025

Pioneer in Healthcare Policy Award

Chris Murphy

March 26, 2025

Chris Murphy, the junior United States Senator for Connecticut, has dedicated his career to public service as an advocate for Connecticut families. Senator Murphy has

Senator Ben Allen

March 26, 2025

California State Senator representing the 24th Senate District, covering the Westside, Hollywood, South Bay, and Santa Monica Mountains communities of the Los Angeles County. First

Golden Axon leadership Award

Eric Kandel

March 26, 2025

Eric Richard Kandel (German: [ˈkandəl]; born Erich Richard Kandel,[citation needed] November 7, 1929[2]) is an Austrian-born American[2] medical doctor who specialized in psychiatry, a neuroscientist and a professor of biochemistry and biophysics at the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University.

Joe F. Bolanos

March 26, 2025

A Passion for Innovation in Healthcare Dr. Joe F. Bolanos, embodies a compelling fusion of medical expertise and technological acumen. With an unwavering interest in

Kevin Morris

March 13, 2025

In Pursuit of Healthcare Excellence, Every Step of the Way. Dr. Kevin Morris, MBBS, has consistently demonstrated a passion for pursuing excellence in academics or