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George Eastman Medal

Recognizing those who make Rochester ever better

Past recipients

Explore the sortable table below for a full list of previous George Eastman Medal winners.

YearRecipientAchievementOccasion
2024Diane M. Hartmann ’87M (MD), ’91M (Res)A national leader in efforts to improve medical residency and fellowship education at the University’s Medical Center, where she also oversaw a near doubling in the number of programs and trainees during the past 30 years.University Commencement
2024Lawrence A. TabakA distinguished scientific leader who has guided our nation’s medical research endeavors in ways that advance knowledge and improve the lives of patients and families. The first dentist to serve as acting director of the National Institutes of Health.Eastman Institute for Oral Health symposium
2022Brenda D. LeePioneer in understanding the impact of racial inequities and developing solutions to combat them, especially for people who have been historically excluded from educational opportunities such as medical school.University Commencement
2021Geena DavisAcademy and Golden Globe Award winner and advocate for gender equalityUniversity-wide Commencement for the Class of 2020, October 2021
2021John “Dutch” SummersCEO of Jasco Tools and chairman Graywood Companies; Dedicated service to strengthening regional economy and communityTBD
2020Nancy RobbinsInstrumental in founding Rochester’s Ronald McDonald House and critical supporter to UR Medicine Golisano Children’s HospitalTBD
2019Barbara IglewskiChair Emeritus of Microbiology and Immunology, Member of the National Women’s Hall of Fame SMD Commencement
2019Donna Strickland2019 Nobel Prize Recipient in PhysicsCollege Commencement
2018Seymour I. Schwartz ’57M (Res)Distinguished Alumni Professor of Surgery at the School of Medicine and Dentistry; one of the nation’s foremost medical educatorsSMD Commencement
2018Margaret GeorgiadisInternationally recognized executive and leader in technology and innovation; CEO of Ancestry, the global leader in family history and consumer genomicsCollege Commencement Speaker
2017The Ganatra FamilyGlobal philanthropistsAS&E Commencement
2016Edmund A. HajimChair of the University of Rochester Board of Trustees for the last eight years and outstanding career in financeAS&E Commencement
2016G. Robert Witmer, Jr.Board Chair Emeritus; career achievements and his service to the University and the Rochester-area communitiesSpecial Board of Trustees dinner in New York City
2016Joseph MorelleNew York State Assembly Majority LeaderAS&E Commencement
2015E. Philip SaundersEntrepreneur; instrumental in reshaping the travel center industrySMD Commencement
2015James E. Darnell, Jr.Vincent Astor Professor Emeritus at the Rockefeller University; made discoveries about gene activation that have influenced modern approaches to cancer treatmentSMD Cancer Center colloquium
2014Theophano MitsaAlumna; pioneer in imaging science; data scientistUniversity event to recognize the impact of the blue noise mask
2014Kevin ParkerEmeritus, Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences; pioneering work as an engineer and biomedical scientistUniversity event to recognize the impact of the blue noise mask
2014Evelyn V. (Lynne) LovejoyCivic leader and philanthropistMemorial Art Gallery; on the occasion of her 100th birthday celebration
2013Steven Chu1997 Nobel laureate in Physics, former U.S. secretary of energy, and former director of the Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryAS&E Commencement
2013Harold and Joan FeinbloomCivic leaders and philanthropistsAS&E Commencement
2013Wendell CastleInternationally recognized sculptor and furniture makerDedication of the Centennial Sculpture Park at the Memorial Art Gallery
2013Albert PaleyInternationally recognized sculptorDedication of the Centennial Sculpture Park at the Memorial Art Gallery
2012Arthur MossProfessor of Medicine at the School of Medicine and DentistrySMD Commencement
2011John H. BruningUR Trustee; Retired President and CEO of Corning Tropel CorporationAS&E Commencement
2011Ursula BurnsUR Life Trustee; Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Xerox CorporationAS&E Commencement
2011Eric KandelDirector, Kavli Institute for Brain Science, Columbia University; Director, Center for Neurobiology & Behavior, New York University Medical School; 2000 Nobel Prize recipient in Physiology or MedicineDistinguished Neuroscience Speaker Series Lecture, School of Medicine and Dentistry
2010William Scott GreenSr. Vice Provost, Dean of Undergraduate Education, and Professor of Religious Studies, University of MiamiCollege Commencement
2010Daniel WegmanUR Trustee; Chief Executive Officer, Wegmans Food Markets, Inc.College Commencement
2009Stanley Prusiner1997 Nobel Laureate in Medicine; Director, Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases and Professor of Neurology and Biochemistry, UCSFDistinguished Neuroscience Speaker Series Lecture, School of Medicine and Dentistry
2009Louise SlaughterCongresswoman (DNY-28) ; Chair, House Rules CommitteeCollege Commencement
2009Carola B. EisenbergCo-founder, Physicians for Human Rights; 1997 Nobel Peace Prize recipient for campaign to ban land minesSMD Commencement
2009William BonnezDevelopment of vaccine to prevent cervical cancerSMD Commencement
2009Richard ReichmannDevelopment of vaccine to prevent cervical cancerSMD Commencement
2009Robert RoseDevelopment of vaccine to prevent cervical cancerSMD Commencement
2008Arvid CarlssonProfessor Emeritus of Pharmacology, Göteborg University in Sweden; 2000 Nobel Prize recipient in Physiology or MedicineDistinguished Neuroscience Speaker Series Lecture, School of Medicine and Dentistry
2006Robert H. HurlbutPresident, Hurlbut Trust, and UR TrusteeDr. Bradford Berk’s Investiture
2005Carl SchrammPresident and CEO, Ewing Marion Kauffman FoundationCollege Commencement
2004Joseph C. Wilson ’31Founder, Xerox CorporationMeliora Weekend
2003Garth FaganFounder and Artistic Director, Garth Fagan Dance, Inc.Meliora Weekend
2003Ralph Snyderman, M.D.President and CEO, Duke University Health SystemsSMD Commencement
2002Ted TurnerFounder, Cable News Network (CNN)Meliora Weekend
2001Glenda T. LappanProfessor, Mathematics – Michigan State UniversityDean Raffaella Borasi’s Investiture
2000Mark L. SchneiderDirector, Peace CorpsRiver Campus Commencement