The Excellence in Mentorship Award
We are thrilled to announce an inaugural annual award to recognize the incredible efforts of mentors in the field which will be awarded at ISTU 2026. Award Nominations are Due by January 1, 2026!
The International Society for Therapeutic Ultrasound will award the Excellence in Mentorship Award to an individual who is relatively senior in their professional career (more than 15 years since graduation from residency or fellowship if applicable), and who has been active in the general area of therapeutic ultrasound through ISTU, their specialty National Societies, or other recognized Regional or International Organizations. The successful candidate will have contributed substantially to the advancement of students and others in the therapeutic ultrasound field.
The successful candidate will have mentored leaders that have contributed substantially to the advancement of therapeutic ultrasound through one or more of the following: published papers in the scientific literature, the development of commercial techniques or devices, and/or clinical practice, leading clinical research studies, publishing results of clinical research in peer reviewed journals.
This inaugural award will be presented at ISTU 2026 in Trondheim, Norway.
Please send nomination materials as a group or separately to Natasha Sheybani by email to sheybani@virginia.edu NO LATER THAN January 1, 2026. The subject line should read "2026 Mentorship Award Application: Nominees Name". A confirmation email will be sent within 48 hours to confirm safe receipt of the application.
Rules
One prize is to be presented each year, except in special circumstances. Nominees must be current members of ISTU. A nominee must be relatively senior in their professional career. In special circumstances, an individual with less than 15 years from their graduation will be considered (for example, someone who took substantial time away from their career after graduation) or if they have exceptional mentorship service earlier in their career.
Process and Application Process
Nominees may be self-nominated or be nominated by any peer (not necessarily a member of the Society). The nomination packet should include two letters of support (at least one letter should be from one of their mentees, and again not necessarily from members of the Society), a mentorship analysis with three examples, and a professional history, such as a CV.
Mentorship examples should include specific achievements gained through mentorship of others, such as promotions or published articles, and instances where a mentor provided critical guidance or opened up new professional opportunities for a mentee. Other examples involve a mentor's role in navigating institutional hurdles, fostering independence, or connecting mentees with valuable resources and networks.
Examples of these items could include the following:
- Career advancement: A mentee received a promotion after their mentor provided specific career path advice and helped them achieve new opportunities for growth in the field.
- Research success: A mentee successfully completed a research project and co-authored a journal article thanks to their mentor's guidance on a complex topic.
- Professional recognition: A mentee earned a grant or award after their mentor helped them understand the application process and refine their proposal.
- Skill development: A mentee gained confidence in a specific skill after consistently receiving constructive feedback from their mentor.
- Advocacy and support: A mentor helped a mentee navigate institutional policies, resolve conflicts, or overcome barriers to success.
- Fostering independence: A mentor provided a comfortable yet challenging environment that encouraged a mentee to gain confidence and develop intellectual independence.
- Specific interactions: Document how a mentor's specific behaviors—such as providing constructive feedback, remaining accessible, or showing care—have been significant in a mentee's work.
The professional history should include the following:
- Education, including all degrees and awarding institutions
- Positions held
- Major professional achievements and awards
- Contributions to therapeutic ultrasound (participation in clinical trials, use of FUS for clinical treatments)
- Publications: Please indicate also whether the publication is an article, letter, abstract, chapter in a book, etc.
- List of mentees and current positions
In the event a nominee is not an awardee in a particular year, provided the nominee is still eligible that person's application may be considered again the following year. Nominations will not automatically be re-considered. All new materials may be submitted, or the previous year's materials may be resubmitted with a new nomination letter.