Dr. David Stevenson Receives 2019 John Howland Award

Friday, May 03, 2019

Dr. David Stevenson

The American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) congratulates David Kendall Stevenson, MD, who has been named the 2019 John Howland Award recipient, the highest honor bestowed by the American Pediatric Society (APS).

“The award signifies the society’s recognition of Dr. Stevenson for his significant contributions to advancing academic pediatrics through clinical care, scientific discovery, mentorship, leadership, and service,” the APS announced. The award was presented April 28 during the 2019 Pediatric Academic Society’s Meeting in Baltimore.

Dr. Stevenson is the Harold K. Faber Professor in Pediatrics and Senior Associate Dean for Maternal and Child Health at the Stanford University School of Medicine. For nearly four decades, he has been at the forefront of research, professional education, and clinical care in neonatology. His experience includes nearly 40 years of continuous NIH funding, and leadership for the Stanford site of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development's Neonatal Research Network and Spectrum, the Stanford Center for Clinical and Translational Education and Research. Dr. Stevenson's studies of neonatal jaundice have produced new technologies and standards of care for treatment of this common neonatal disorder. His work has led to improved outcomes for countless infants and expectant mothers.

Certified in both General Pediatrics and Neonatal and Perinatal Medicine, Dr. Stevenson has served actively on many ABP committees since 1997, including roles as chair of the Long-range Planning Committee, the Neonatal-Perinatal Subboard, and the Task Force on Subspecialty Clinical Training and Certification. From 2004-2009, he helped lead the ABP as a member of the Board of Directors.

As an advocate for health, he has received many awards and honors, including the St. Geme Award (2016), the highest award given by the Federation of Pediatric Organizations, and the Virginia Apgar Award (2006), the highest award in Perinatal Pediatrics. In 2011, he received the Maureen Andrew Mentor Award from the Society of Pediatric Research, and the Jonas Salk Award for Leadership in Prematurity Prevention from the March of Dimes Foundation. He also received the first American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Award for Excellence in Pediatric Research. He was elected to the Institute of Medicine (now called the National Academy of Medicine) in 2012.

A graduate of Stanford University and the University of Washington School of Medicine, he completed his pediatric residency at the University of Washington, then completed a fellowship at Stanford in neonatal-perinatal medicine.

Subsequently, he was appointed to the faculty at Stanford University School of Medicine, becoming Professor of Pediatrics, Chief of Neonatology, Vice Dean and Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, and now Senior Associate Dean for Maternal & Child Health and Co-Director of Stanford’s Child Health Research Institute. During that time, he has conducted seminal research on neonatal jaundice and heme oxygenase biology that has changed practice in neonatal intensive care units and has set the stage for future approaches to the management of newborn jaundice. His work has led to new technologies and more than 600 publications, including peer-reviewed original research and review articles, book chapters, and books.

The Howland Award is given annually by the APS in honor of Dr. John Howland (1873-1926) to recognize individuals for their distinguished service to pediatrics as a whole, and for making significant contributions to advancing pediatrics through clinical care, scientific discovery, mentorship, and service.

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