Only members can submit nominations. (Nominees can be members or non-members.)
About the Kean Medal
"The Ben Kean Medal is awarded to a clinician or educator whose dedication to clinical tropical medicine and impact on the training of students, fellows and/or practitioners of tropical medicine is in keeping with the tradition established by Dr. Kean."
The next Ben Kean Medal will be awarded in 2028.
For a list of previous medalists, scroll down.
Please Note: Members of the Awards Committee cannot nominate anyone for a medal, cannot add a supporting letter or be nominated for a medal. Not being eligible to receive a medal also extends to all sitting members of the Board/Executive Committee. The Society encourages members to look beyond elected leadership in nominating deserving candidates. Former elected leaders are eligible.
Benjamin H. Kean (1912-1993) is the founder of the tropical medical program and a renowned professor of clinical tropical diseases and public health at Cornell University. In addition to being one of the most respected and admired educators at Cornell, Dr. Kean is known for his work in discovering the cause of traveler’s diarrhea and for being a physician to many of the best-known personalities of the 20th Century, ranging from artist Salvador Dali to Broadway lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II to writer Sherwood Anderson and the Shah of Iran. The medal is awarded every third year. The medal was first awarded in 1994 to Mrs. Ben Kean (Collette), and the first Society member recipient was Franklin A. Neva in 1995.
List of Medalists
 | 2025 Edward T. Ryan Massachusetts General Hospital |  |
 | 2022 William M. Stauffer University of Minnesota Department of Medicine View an introduction of Dr. Stauffer by Drs. Brett Hendel-Paterson, Stephen Dunlop, Michael Sundberg and Nathan Bertelsen. |  |
 | 2019 Thomas B. Nutman NIAID | |
 | William A. Petri, Jr.
| |
 | Mary E. Wilson
| |
 | 2016 Terrie Taylor Michigan State University |
1998
Martin S. Wolfe
1995
Franklin A. Neva
1994
Collete Kean (spouse of Ben Kean)