The Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging at WashU hosts this annual event to address topics related to older adults and aging society and present awards to individuals who have contributed to the field of aging.
2018 Friedman Lecture and Awards 
First Friedman Award Given to Mary Coats, RN, MSN; Pictured from left: Harvey Friedman, Dorismae Friedman, John Morris, Mary Coats, William Peck 
2012 Friedman Lecture & Awards; Pictured from left: James Williams, Eddie Lawlor, Nancy Morrow-Howell, John Morris, Mark Wrighton
The Friedman Lecture and Awards event is supported by the Harvey A. and Dorismae Hacker Friedman Endowment for Aging at The Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital. Lectures cover a wide range of topics that represent the diversity of experiences and needs of aging adults and communities.
2025 Friedman Lecture & Awards
Registration is now Open!
The Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging’s 24th Annual Friedman Lecture & Awards will take place on April 4, 2025. Our keynote presentation will be presented by Kimberly C. Porter, Transformations Director for Blue ZonesTM. In addition to the keynote presentation, this event will include a presentation of awards, panel discussion, and audience Q&A.
- April 5, 2024 | Climate Change in an Aging World
- April 21, 2023 | Mental health and older adults: New ways to provide high-quality care
- April 13, 2022 | Serious Illness Care: Advances and Opportunities
- April 14, 2021 | Writing a New Story for Old Age in Today’s Longevity Economy
- April 24, 2019 | Advancing Aging Research & Education at Washington University: Preparing for Longer, Productive Lives
- April 20, 2018 | Ageism in America: How Stereotypes Influence Our Health and Wellbeing
- April 4, 2017 | Future of Health Policy in an Aging America
- April 28, 2016 | Intersection of Aging and the Arts for Health and Wellbeing
- April 22, 2015 | Better Living Through Innovation: Responding to an Aging Society
- May 8, 2014 | Developing the Workforce for an Aging America
- May 3, 2013 | Creating Aging-Friendly Communities
- April 30, 2012 | The Aging Mind: Realities and Myths
- May 24, 2011 | Friedman Center for Aging Research: Selected Updates
- May 25, 2010 | Productive Aging: Cross-Cultural Perspectives from China and the U.S.
- April 21, 2009 | In the Words of the Artist: The Influence of Age on Creativity and Expression
- May 13, 2008 | Are we Licensed for Life?: Transportation and Driving Issues in an Aging Society
Call for Nominations
Each year, the Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging presents two awards at the Annual Friedman Lecture & Awards. Nominations are now being accepted for the Harvey A. and Dorismae Hacker Friedman Award for Excellence in Service to Older Adults and the Alene and Meyer Kopolow Award for Geriatrics, Psychiatry and Neurology. Nominations will be accepted until March 5, 2025.
The purpose of this award is to recognize an individual who has made outstanding contributions in service to older adults. Individuals may make this contribution through practice, education, advocacy, or research. Eligible nominees must be professionals involved in work related to older adults within the St. Louis Metro Region.
The award will be presented at the Friedman Lecture on April 4, 2025. Awardees receive up to $3,000 for aging-related professional development endeavors.
The award is supported by The Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital rom the Harvey A. and Dorismae Hacker Friedman Fund.
The purpose of this award is to recognize stellar contributions to the care of older adults by a resident, post-residency fellow, or junior faculty member in neurology, psychiatry, medicine or related disciplines with experience in geriatric services. The award is not restricted to individuals with a medical degree.
Nominees should demonstrate achievement in at least one of the following areas of geriatrics: direct patient care; didactic learning exercises or rounds, conferences, or national and international meetings; and in patient-oriented of basic research that address aging issues.
The award will be presented at the Friedman Lecture on April 4, 2025. Awardees receive up to $3,000 for aging-related professional development endeavors.
The award is supported by The Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital from the Alene and Meyer Kopolow Fund for Geriatrics, Psychiatry and Neurology.
3MT Competition in Aging
The 2025 3MT Competition in Aging is held each year to select the winner of the Mark S. Wrighton Graduate Student in Aging Research Award. This fast-paced, pitch style event gives competitors just three minutes and one static slide to explain their thesis. The award is given at the Annual Friedman Lecture & Awards.
Award Winners
The Alene and Meyer Kopolow Award for Geriatrics, Psychiatry and Neurology
2024 Awardee:
Kaori Sakurai, MD, FACP
Assistant Professor, School of Medicine, WashU
- 2023 | Beth Prusaczyk, PhD, MSW, General Medical Sciences
- 2022 | Andrea Denny, JD, MSSW, Neurology
- 2021 | Emily Somerville, OTD, OTR/L, Occupational Therapy and Neurology
- 2020 | Sarah Hartz, MD, PhD, Psychiatry
- 2019 | Lenise Cummings-Vaughn, MD, CMD, Geriatrics
- 2018 | Gregory S. Day, MD, Neurology
- 2017 | Ganesh Babulal, PhD, OTD, MSCI, MOT, OTR/L, Neurology
- 2016 | Scott Vouri, PharmD, MSCI, St. Louis College of Pharmacy
- 2015 | Brendan Lucey, MD, Neurology
- 2014 | Erik Musiek, MD, PhD, Neurology
- 2013 | Tammie L. S. Benziger, MD, Radiology and Neurological Surgery
- 2012 | Tanya Wildes, MD, Division of Medical Oncology
- 2011 | Beau M. Ances, MD, PhD, MSc, Department of Neurology
- 2010 | Susan Stark, PhD, OTR/L, Occupational Therapy and Neurology
- 2009 | Nupur Ghoshal, MD, PhD, Department of Neurology
- 2008 | Consuelo Hopkins Wilkins, MD, Division of Geriatrics and Nutritional Science
- 2007 | Randall Bateman, MD, Department of Neurology
- 2006 | Christopher Carpenter, MD, Division of Emergency Medicine
- 2005 | Monique Williams, MD, Division of Geriatrics & Nutritional Science
- 2004 | Barbara Joy Snider, MD, PhD, Department of Neurology
- 2003 | Kellie L. Flood, MD, Division of Geriatrics & Nutritional Science
The Harvey A. and Dorismae Hacker Friedman Award for Excellence in Service to Older Adults
2024 Awardee:
Madeline Franklin, JD
Executive Director, STL Village
- 2023 | Jamie Opsal, St. Louis City Senior Fund
- 2022 | Pamela Merkle, Association on Aging with Developmental Disabilities
- 2021 | David Sykora, Former Executive Director of the St. Louis Area Agency on Aging
- 2020 | Joan Denison, Covenant Place
- 2019 | Marla Berg-Weger, PhD, LCSW, Saint Louis University School of Social Work
- 2018 | Janis M. McGillick, MSW, MA, LNHA, Dolan Memory Care Homes and Nikki G. Goldstein, MSW, Crown Center for Senior Living
- 2017 | Cheryl Kinney, LCSW, MSW, Alzheimer’s Association-St. Louis Chapter
- 2016 | Virginia Buckles, PhD, Neurology
- 2015 | Karen Berry Elbert, MSW, Jewish Federation of St. Louis, St. Louis NORC and Sherrill Wayland, MSW, SAGE Metro St. Louis
- 2014 | Jennifer K. Phillips, MPA & Myrtis Smith Spencer, Knight Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center
- 2013 | Rebecca I. Fierberg, MSW, Knight Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center
- 2013 | Deborah Dalin Guyer, St. Louis Chapter of the American Parkinson’s Disease Association
- 2012 | James Williams, MA, Knight Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center
- 2011 | Terri L. Hosto, MSW, LCSW, Physical Therapy, Anatomy and Neurobiology
- 2011 | Nancy Tye-Murray, PhD, Otolaryngology
- 2010 | Gammon M. Earhart, PhD, PT, Physical Therapy, Anatomy and Neurobiology,
- 2010 Nigel Cairns, PhD, FRCPath , Neurology and Pathology and Immunology
- 2009 | Catherine M. Roe, PhD, Department of Neurology
- 2008 | Marie McGowan Meisel, Department of Neurology
- 2007 | Joanne Norton, Department of Psychiatry
- 2006 | Eileen Costantinou, MSN, RN, BC, Barnes-Jewish Hospital
- 2005 | Tamara Hershey, PhD, Psychiatry, Radiology & Neurology
- 2005 | Maria Carroll, RN, BC, GCNS, Barnes-Jewish Hospital
- 2004 | Elizabeth A. Grant, PhD, Division of Biostatistics
- 2003 | Mary A. Coats, RN, MSN
The Mark S. Wrighton Research Award on Aging
2024 Awardees:
Winner: Christi Lero, PhD candidate, Brown School
Runner-up: Joseph Lin, MD/PhD candidate, School of Medicine
- 2023 Winner | Jung Uk Kang, PhD candidate, School of Medicine
- 2023 Runner-up | Hannah Wilks, graduate student, Arts & Sciences
- 2022 Judge’s Choice | Hannah Maybrier, PhD candidate in clinical psychology
- 2022 People’s Choice | Lucia Capano, PhD candidate, Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences
- 2021 Judge’s Choice | Meghan McDarby, PhD candidate, psychological and brain sciences
- 2021 People’s Choice | Audrey Keleman, PhD candidate, rehabilitation and participation science program
- 2020 Judges’ Choice | Christopher Chermside-Scabbo, PhD-MD candidate, Orthopaedic Surgery
- 2020 People’s Choice | Monica Xiong, PhD candidate, Neuroscience