The ATS Public Advisory Roundtable presents two awards annually at the ATS PAR Symposium as part of the ATS International Conference. Additionally, PAR members provide abstract scholarships in their own areas of interest based on meritorious abstract submissions to the ATS International Conference.
John W. Walsh PAR Award for Excellence
John W. Walsh founded both the COPD Foundation and the Alpha-1 Foundation. In these roles, he served as an original member of the ATS Public Advisory Roundtable. As a member of the ATS, his influence and leadership shaped PAR and PAR’s continued support of the ATS Research Program.
The Walsh PAR Excellence Award is an honor awarded by persons affected by pulmonary disease to a domestic or international individual, group or institution from any lay, professional or government field who has improved the lives of patients by:
- Enabling research and advancing the understanding of disease through legislation, advocacy or philanthropy
- Performing basic or clinical scientific works that have produced tangible and significant benefits for affected individuals
- Providing vision, hope, support or relief to those who live with life–threatening pulmonary illness.
The 2025 John W. Walsh awardee is E. Wesley Ely, MD, MPH.
Dr. Wes Ely, professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and a leader in pulmonary and critical care, is honored with the 2025 John W. Walsh Award for his transformative work in ICU survivorship and humanistic patient care. As co-director of the Center for Critical Illness, Brain Dysfunction, and Survivorship (CIBS), Dr. Ely has led groundbreaking research on ICU-acquired brain disease, helping define and treat conditions like delirium and post-intensive care syndrome (PICS). His CAM-ICU tool is used globally to assess delirium in critically ill patients.
In 2021, Dr. Ely published Every Deep-Drawn Breath, a powerful narrative that amplifies the voices of ICU survivors and sheds light on their long-term challenges. The book earned the 2022 Christopher Award for its contribution to humanizing medicine. All proceeds from the book support the CIBS Center’s endowment for ICU survivors and their families. Dr. Ely's compassionate, patient- centered approach continues to inspire clinicians, researchers, and survivors worldwide.
William J. Martin, II Distinguished Achievement Award
The ATS Public Advisory Roundtable was founded through the vision of then ATS President Dr. Bill Martin, who sought “to create something quite different that would include patients in the heart of its organization.”
The recipient of the William J. Martin, II Distinguished Achievement Award is an honor awarded to a person who embodies the many characteristics of its namesake listed below.
- Innovative Spirit
- Outstanding Leadership Skills
- Impressive History in Public Service
- Passion for Patients
The 2025 William J. Martin II awardee is Margaret W. Leigh, MD.
Dr. Margaret “Magee” Leigh is a trailblazer in pediatric pulmonology whose four-decade career has transformed the care of children with chronic, incurable lung diseases. As Director of the Cystic Fibrosis Center at UNC, she led groundbreaking research that contributed to the development of life-changing CF therapies. Her leadership in the Pediatric Assembly of the American Thoracic Society and recognition with the 2025 American Academy of Pediatrics Edwin L. Kendig, Jr. Award highlight her dedication to advancing pediatric pulmonary medicine.
Dr. Leigh’s commitment to public service is evident in her mentorship of dozens of pulmonology trainees, who have gone on to make significant contributions to lung disease research and patient care worldwide. Even after retiring in 2022, she continues to educate future doctors and support research for diseases like cystic fibrosis and primary ciliary dyskinesia. With over 125 research articles and 30 book chapters, Magee’s work has had a lasting impact on medical education, clinical care, and patient advocacy.
2025 Abstract Winners
Allergy & Asthma Network – Maude Liegeois, MPh, PhD
Alpha 1 Foundation – Zaid Elhusseini, PhD, Alpha 1 Foundation
ARDS Alliance – Kiran Reddy, MD, BCh, BSc, MSc
Cystic Fibrosis Research – Sayahi Suthakaran, MS
Cystic Fibrosis Research – Alexander Matheson BSc (Hons), PhD
Hermansky Pudlak Syndrome Network – Andrew Engel, BA
Lung Transplant Foundation – Isam Albaba, MBBS
Lung Transplant Foundation – Mostafa Ismail, MS
PF Warriors – Jannik Ruwisch, MD
PF Warriors – Qianjiang Hu, PhD, PF Warriors
Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia Foundation – Adriana Torres, MD
Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia Foundation – Alwatheq Al-Itelat, MD
Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia Foundation – Michael Rector, PhD
Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia Foundation – Lena Wucherpfennig, MD
Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis – Jayleigh Lim, MB, BCh
Sarcoidosis Research – Iris Simons, MD
Sarcoidosis Research – Drew Robinson, MD
Vasculitis Foundation – Omri Arbiv MD
Vasculitis Foundation – Nadia Tan, BSc