The annual awards are one of the university’s highest recognitions for interdisciplinary research achievement and honor the faculty, staff and external partners whose work exemplifies the U of A’s commitment to inquiry, innovation and societal impact. The recognition program, which is hosted by the Office of Research and Partnerships, highlights those advancing transformative research and creative activity across disciplines, sectors and communities.
Awardees of the U of A’s inaugural Convergence Awards honoring faculty, staff and partnerships for excellence in advancing transformative research joined U of A senior leadership for a group photo before the April 15 ceremony. (Photo by Kris Hanning, U of A Office of Research and Partnerships)
Seven University of Arizona Health Sciences faculty and staff members were recognized as 2026 Convergence Awards honorees.
The annual awards are one of the university’s highest recognitions for interdisciplinary research achievement and honor the faculty, staff and external partners whose work exemplifies the U of A’s commitment to inquiry, innovation and societal impact. The recognition program, which is hosted by the Office of Research and Partnerships, highlights those advancing transformative research and creative activity across disciplines, sectors and communities.
“I am thrilled to see such a talented group of our faculty and staff recognized for their exceptional achievements in research and service,” said Jennifer Barton, PhD, interim vice provost for health programs at the University of Arizona Health Sciences. “These honorees embody the spirit of innovation that we strive for every day across the U of A Health Sciences. Their success is a testament to the power of a diversity of talent and interdisciplinary partnership, and I congratulate them on this well-deserved recognition.”
Convergence award winners include:
Marvin Slepian, MD, JD, a Regents Professor of medicine, radiology and imaging sciences and surgery at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson and founder and director of the university’s Arizona Center for Accelerated Biomedical Innovation, received the University Distinguished Innovation and Entrepreneurship Award. Slepian, who is also a member of the BIO5 Institute, is a named inventor on more than 150 issued and pending patents. He has dedicated his career to the translation of research into practical applications that serve society.
Jeff Burgess, MD, MPH, MS, a professor at the U of A Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health and director of the Center for Firefighter Health Collaborative Research, received the Excellence in Biomedical Research and Clinical Translation Award. For more than 30 years, Burgess has led pioneering research that has reshaped national and global understanding of occupational exposures, cancer risk and long-term health outcomes, especially for firefighters and other high-risk workers.
Roberta Diaz Brinton, PhD, a Regents Professor at the College of Medicine – Tucson and director of the Center for Innovation in Brain Science, received the Excellence in Biomedical Research and Clinical Translation Award. Brinton, an internationally recognized neuroscientist, was honored for her work spanning discovery, translation and clinical trials focused on Alzheimer’s disease. Her efforts formed the foundation for the center, an interdisciplinary training environment supported by many National Institutes of Health-funded grants.
Yumi Shirai, PhD, an associate professor at the College of Medicine – Tucson and director of ArtWorksat the Sonoran Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, was honored with the Excellence in Arts Award. As director of ArtWorks, an outreach program for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, Shirai brings together art and health sciences as well as community and connection by pairing the artists with U of A students. Shirai developed the Creative Café storytelling framework, which was runner-up for the 2024 John A. Hartford Business Innovation Award.
Robert Sandoval, a manager of facilities and planning for the BIO5 Institute, received the Excellence in Research Support Award. With degrees in biochemistry and molecular and cellular biology and hands-on lab experience, Sandoval knows how to plan and support scientific teams’ needs to ensure smooth transitions with minimal work disruption and how to achieve peak operational efficiency.
Tsu-Te Judith Su, PhD, an associate professor of biomedical engineering and optical sciences who also has an appointment with the U of A Cancer Center, was honored with a Certificate of Excellence. Her lab focuses on ultrasensitive and specific label-free detection of cancer biomarkers for early detection and prognostics.
Paloma Beamer, PhD, a professor and associate dean for community engagement at the U of A Zuckerman College of Public Health, received a Certificate of Excellence. An environmental engineer by training, Beamer’s research focuses on the exposure of vulnerable populations to environmental contaminants, addressing critical public health challenges and driving policy change.
Read about all of the Convergence Award honorees here.