Jim Curtis, Senior AETS Specialist for Health Care, will receive the esteemed C. William Hall Award during a special ceremony at the 10th World Biomaterials Congress in Montréal, Quebec, Canada on Thursday, May 19th, 2016. Among numerous accomplishments, C. William Hall was a pioneer in artificial organs research, and the founding president of the Society For Biomaterials.

The award established in Hall’s honor recognizes members who have made a significant contribution, and have an outstanding record in establishing, developing, maintaining and promoting the organization’s objectives and goals. The Society For Biomaterials is a multidisciplinary society of academic, healthcare, governmental and business professionals dedicated to promoting advancements in all aspects of biomaterial science, education and professional standards to enhance human health and quality of life.

A Society For Biomaterials member for over 25 years, Jim continues to serve as a peer reviewer, session chair, and officer of the Biomaterials & Medical Products Commercialization Special Interest Group. He helped coordinate funding of the 7th World Biomaterials Congress, and acted as judge and co–organizer for Biomaterials Business Plan Competitions held in 2014 and 2015.

Jim has been an invited speaker to several biomaterial and silicone technology meetings, including the Sixteenth International Symposium on Silicon Chemistry. He contributed two chapters on silicone biomaterials to Biomaterials Science: An Introduction to Materials in Medicine, one of if not the most popular biomaterials textbooks in University Bioengineering curricula around the world.

“Jim is a key consultant for healthcare colleagues globally, with a vast history and knowledge,” said Tami Heilman-Adam, North America Beauty Care and Health Care AETS Manager. “We are very proud to see him recognized for his long standing contributions to the Society For Biomaterials.”

In winning the Hall Award, Jim joins a distinguished list of prior recipients, including past presidents of the society, and pillars of the biomaterials community: Art Coury, Jack Parr, and Buddy Ratner, to name a few. “Dr. Hall, Professor Ratner and many of these prior Hall award winners are my heroes,” said Jim, “I am thrilled and feel quite privileged to receive the recognition the award bestows.”

Jim has been in the medical device and materials field for 35 years, 29 spent with Dow Corning, and has over thirty publications in the field. He is a proud graduate of The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, with Bachelors in Chemical Engineering and Master of Engineering degrees.