Daniel Ferris, Ph.D., Robert W. Adenbaum Professor in Engineering Innovation and director of the Center for Engineering Human Performance and Wellness in the J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, has received the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) Landis Award for Outstanding Mentorship, recognizing his commitment to mentoring and developing the next generation of scientists and engineers.
The award provides $100,000 in support and recognizes faculty members for exceptional dedication to mentorship and the professional development of trainees.
For more than 25 years as a university faculty member, Ferris has developed a mentoring philosophy centered on understanding each trainee as an individual. He adapts his approach to each person’s background, goals, experience and preferred balance of guidance and independence.
“My goal as a mentor is to understand where each person is coming from, where they want to go and what kind of support will help them get there,” Ferris said. “Mentoring is a long-term commitment, and one of the most rewarding parts of my career is seeing former trainees succeed and become outstanding mentors themselves.”
Ferris also emphasizes the importance of creating supportive and collaborative research communities. His lab incorporates opportunities for trainees to mentor others through outreach programs, including National Biomechanics Day, Biomedical Engineering Open House and Girls with Nerve, a weeklong neural engineering summer camp for middle school girls.
He encourages students and postdoctoral researchers to build networks of mentors beyond their primary research adviser and gain experiences outside their regular laboratory environment. Those opportunities have included industry internships, visiting scholar positions, scientific conferences and specialized training programs in the United States and abroad.
Ferris views mentorship as a commitment that continues well beyond a trainee’s time in his laboratory. He regularly provides former students and postdoctoral researchers with career advice, feedback on grant proposals and presentations, job opportunities and introductions to professional contacts.
Ferris’ commitment to mentorship is also evident in the accomplishments of his former trainees. He received the American Society of Biomechanics Founders’ Award, recognizing scientific accomplishment and excellence in mentoring, in 2018. Former mentees Greg Sawicki and Aaron Young later received the same honor in 2023 and 2026.