The Society of Black Pathologists’ Executive Board would like to announce and solicit nominations for the Vivian W. Pinn, MD Award for Excellence in Leadership in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, presented annually at the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Meeting.

This award will honor the accomplishments of Dr. Vivian W. Pinn, who, the only Black woman in her graduating class from the University of Virginia School of Medicine, was the first Black woman to chair an academic pathology department in the United States and the first full-time director of the Office of Research on Women’s Health at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). 

Dr. Pinn completed her pathology residency in the Harvard Medical School system at Massachusetts General Hospital before joining the faculty of Tufts University School of Medicine.  She went on to become Professor and Chair of Pathology at Howard University School of Medicine and later the Director of the Office of Research on Women’s Health at the NIH. Despite being retired, she continues mentoring new Chairs through the Senior Fellows Division of the Association of Pathology Chairs.

Nominees for this award should be a pathologist or laboratory professional who epitomizes the following:

• Demonstration of sustained excellence in promoting the professional growth and development of their mentees and/or colleagues.
• Evidence of outstanding leadership or significant achievement in pathology and laboratory medicine.
• Achievement of significant recognition or history-making progress for the promotion of those underrepresented in pathology and laboratory medicine.

Nominators should submit a 1–2-page letter of recommendation for this award along with the CV of the nominee to info@societyofblackpathologists.org.

Sincerely,

The Executive Board of the Society of Black Pathologists