Dr. Melissa Simon to Receive the 2026 AMWA Woman in Science Award

Albany, New York Jan 22, 2026 (Issuewire.com) Melissa Simon, MD, MPH, MBA, will be presented with the 2026 Woman in Science Award from the American Medical Womens Association (AMWA) at the 111th Annual AMWA Meeting, March 27-29 in San Francisco, CA.

The AMWA Woman in Science Award is given to honor a woman who has made exceptional contributions to medical science, especially in womens health, through her basic and/or clinical research, publications, and leadership in her field.

Dr. Melissa Simon exemplifies scientific excellence in service of equityadvancing rigorous, community-engaged research that has transformed womens health and cancer prevention while mentoring the next generation of physician-scientists. Her leadership, scholarship, and unwavering commitment to health equity make her a powerful and deserving recipient of the Women in Science Award, says Susan Hingle, MD, AMWA Past President and the 2026 Awards Chair.

Melissa Simon, MD, MPH, MBA, is internationally recognized for advancing health equity through research, education, and community engagement. She serves as Vice Chair for Research in Obstetrics and Gynecology and Associate Director of Community Outreach and Engagement at the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University.

An elected member of the National Academy of Medicine and the Association of American Physicians, Dr. Simon has led major NIH-funded initiatives addressing cancer disparities, reproductive justice, and workforce diversity. She founded the ELEVATE Lab and co-founded the Chicago Cancer Health Equity Collaborative, developing innovative patient navigation models and research literacy tools for underserved populations.

Her work in implementation science and health equity has helped transform care delivery and access across the U.S. Dr. Simon is a pioneer in medical education, having launched Career 911, the first MOOC for healthcare workforce development. She has received numerous national honors, including the White House/NSF PAESMEM Award, the Marion Spencer Fay Award, and Northwesterns Mentor of the Year Award. A former member of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, she now chairs the National Cancer Institute Health Equity Committee of ECOG-ACRIN clinical trial research group. She continues to care for uninsured and publicly insured women in Chicago while mentoring the next generation of equity-focused leaders.

The AMWA Annual Meeting, to be held March 2729, celebrates the theme: Thriving, Leading, Transforming: Rooted in Purpose, Rising in Power, Committed to Service. Sessions are designed to spark learning, reflection, and bold action, while celebrating the strength, resilience, and vision of those transforming medicine from the inside out.

The Physician Awards will be presented in person during the AMWA Awards Gala, on Saturday, March 28 from 6 to 9 pm PT. To attend the Awards Ceremony or register for the full meeting, visit: amwa-doc.org/amwa111.

About AMWA.

The American Medical Womens Association (AMWA), founded in 1915, is the oldest multispecialty professional organization of women in medicine. Our mission is to advance women physicians and improve the health of women. www.amwa-doc.org