Congratulations to the IAMSE 2026 Distinguished & Early Career Award Winners
IAMSE, on behalf of the Professional Development Committee, would like to congratulate Dr. Christopher Burns and Dr. Sol Roberts-Lieb on receiving the Distinguished Career Award and Early Career Award, respectively.
Christopher Burns
The Distinguished Career Award for Excellence in Teaching and Educational Scholarship recognizes an IAMSE member who has a distinguished record of educational scholarship, including educational research and dissemination of scholarly approaches to teaching and education. Candidates must have a significant record of engagement within IAMSE.
Christopher Burns: Dr. Burns is a Professor of Microbiology and Immunology and Director for Active Learning at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. Over a 25-year career, he has built a distinguished record in team-based learning, curriculum development, faculty development, and educational scholarship, including serving as founding faculty at five new colleges of medicine. A committed IAMSE member for 17 years, he has served in multiple leadership roles within the association, including as Founding Chair of both the Website Development Committee and the Student Professional Development Committee.
Sol Roberts-Lieb
The Early Career Award for Excellence in Teaching and Innovation honors an IAMSE member who, early in their career, has made significant innovations in teaching, learning, and assessment. Candidates must have demonstrated less than 10 years of educational scholarship.
Sol Roberts-Lieb: Dr. Roberts-Lieb is an Assistant Professor and Faculty Director of the Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. Since joining IAMSE in 2017, he has built a remarkable record of organizational leadership and member engagement, serving as an elected member of the Board of Directors, Secretary of the Executive Board, Inaugural Chair of the Virtual Forum, and Founding Chair of the New Member Onboarding Task Force. His work spans faculty development, curriculum innovation, and educational scholarship, with a focus on building scalable, sustainable systems that support educators across career stages and institutions.
Congratulations to Dr. Burns and Dr. Roberts-Lieb. They will both be honored at the 30th Annual IAMSE Conference in June, and will also be featured at an upcoming IAMSE Cafe. We hope you will join us in celebrating their achievements at the Annual Conference!