Celebrating Excellence in Intensive Care
The European Society of Intensive Care Medicine takes pride in recognising the exceptional individuals and teams who have shaped and advanced the field of intensive care. Through its Honorary Memberships, Society Medal, and broader Awards Programme, ESICM honours those whose dedication, innovation, and leadership have made a lasting impact on patient care, scientific progress, and the global critical care community.
From distinguished pioneers granted lifelong honorary recognition, to outstanding members awarded the Society’s highest distinctions, these honours reflect ESICM’s commitment to excellence, collaboration, and continuous improvement in intensive care medicine.
The ESICM every year is able to award honorary membership to the Society.
Criteria: Honorary membership is awarded to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution the Society or to the specialty of Intensive Care Medicine (Statutes – Article 5.4).
Process: The Council nominates individuals deserving of this award in the Spring of each year. The Executive Commmitee then shortlists the nominees and where necessary asks the Council to formally vote for the most deserving recipients(s).
Rights: Honorary members benefit from a life-long (free) membership of the society.
2025: Yaseen Arabi, Saudi Arabia
2025: Michelle Chew, Sweden
2025: Can Ince, The Netherlands
2024: Martin Balik, Czech Republic
2024: Danielle Bear, United Kingdom
2024: Carolyn Calfee, United States
2024: Janet Victoria Diaz, United States
2024: Anders Perner, Denmark
2023: Frantisek Duska, Czech Republic
2023: Sheila Nainan Myatra, India
2023: Julia Wendon, United Kingdom
2022: Lui Forni, United Kingdom
2022: Carol Hodgson, Australia
2022: Arthur Kwizera, Uganda
2022: Jordi Mancebo Cortes, Spain
2021: Stijn Blot, Belgium
2021: J. Randall Curtis, United States
2021: Suzana Margareth Lobo, Brazil
2021: Susanna Price, United Kingdom
2020: Pascale Gruber, United Kingdom
2020: Ruth Kleinpell, United States
2020: Jeffrey Lipman, Australia
2019 : Mette Berger, Switzerland
2019 : Bertrand Guidet, France
2019: John Kellum, United States
2018 : Flavia R. Machado, Brazil
2018 : Didier Payen de la Garanderie, France
2017: Hans Flaatten, Norway
2017 : Marco Maggiorini, Switzerland
2017 : Antonio Pesenti, Italy
2017 : Mervyn Singer, United Kingdom
2017 : Claudia Spies, Germany
2016 : Sameer Jog, India
2016 : Margaret Herridge, Canada
2016 : Goran Hedenstierna, Sweden
2016 : Michael Reed Barratt, United States
2016 : Elie Azoulay, France
2015 : Derek Angus, United States
2015 : Johan Groeneveld, Netherlands
2015 : John Marini, United States
2015 : Konrad Reinhart, Germany
2014 : Julie Benbenishty, Israel
2014 : Veerappan Chithambaram, United Kingdom
2014 : Arthur Slutsky, Canada
2013 : Laurent Brochard, Canada
2013 : Jeremy Farrar, United Kingdom
2013 : Charles Hinds, United Kingdom
2013 : Greet van den Berghe, Belgium
2012 : Antonio Artigas, Spain
2012 : Mitchell Levy, United States
2012 : Michael Pinsky, United States
2012 : Warren Zapol, United States
2011 : Andrés Esteban, Spain
2011 : David Bennett, United Kingdom
2010 : Malcolm Fisher, Australia
2010 : Elias Knobel, Brazil
2009 : Albert Osterhaus, Netherlands
ESICM awards an annual medal, the Society Medal, to one of its most dedicated and long serving members. (SOPs – § 7.2)
Criteria: The ESICM Society Medal is awarded to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to both the Society and the specialty over a prolonged period of time.
Process: The Council nominates individuals deserving of this award in the Spring of each year. The Executive Commmitee then shortlists the nominees and asks the Council to formally vote for the most deserving winner.
Rights: ESICM Society Medal holders benefit from a life-long honorary (free) membership to the Society.
2025: Maurizio Cecconi, Italy (Watch Tribute Video)
2024 : Jean-Louis Teboul, France (Watch Tribute Video)
2024: Joël Alexandre, France
2023: Antonio Artigas, Spain (Watch Tribute Video)
2022: Jozef Kesecioglu, Netherlands (Watch Tribute Video)
2021: Jean-Daniel Chiche, Switzerland (Watch Tribute Video)
2020: Carole Boulanger, United Kingdom (Watch Tribute Video)
2019: Daniel De Backer, Belgium (Watch Tribute video)
2018: Elie Azoulay, France (Watch Tribute video)
2017: Jean Carlet, France (Watch Tribute video)
2016: Rui Moreno, Portugal (Watch Tribute video)
2015: Andrew Rhodes, United Kingdom (Watch Tribute video)
2014: Jukka Takala, Switzerland (Watch Interview video)
2013: Massimo Antonelli, Italy (Watch Interview video)
2012: Julian Bion, United Kingdom
2011: Charles Sprung, Israel
2010: Jean-Roger Le Gall, France
2009: Jean-Louis Vincent, Belgium
2008: Luciano Gattinoni, Italy
2007 : François Lemaire, France
2006: Konrad Falke, Germany
2005: Peter Suter, Switzerland
The European Society of Intensive Care Medicine is pleased to announce the launch of the ESICM Awards Program. These awards recognise the exceptional work of our members who contribute to advancing intensive care through science, education, clinical excellence, collaboration and advocacy.
ESICM members play a central role in improving patient care, strengthening multidisciplinary teamwork and developing new knowledge. Through these awards, the society wishes to highlight achievements that inspire our community and support excellence across the field of intensive care.
Why nominate?
By submitting a nomination, members help recognise colleagues whose work strengthens intensive care practice, education and research across europe and beyond. These awards celebrate achievements that benefit patients, healthcare professionals and the wider community.
Research excellence award
Recognises ESICM members who have made outstanding scientific contributions that advance knowledge in intensive care. This may include high-quality clinical, translational or basic research that has influenced practice, improved patient outcomes or strengthened scientific collaboration.
Innovation award
Honours members who have introduced new concepts, technologies, clinical pathways or educational approaches that improve daily intensive care practice or professional training. Innovations can be digital, organisational, clinical or educational.
Sepsis care award
Recognises members who have significantly improved sepsis recognition, management or education. This may include work on clinical pathways, guideline implementation, national or local sepsis programmes, research or awareness initiatives.
Education excellence award
Honours members who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to teaching and training in intensive care. This includes development of courses, innovative teaching methods, curriculum design, faculty development or long-term educational leadership.
Young intensivist achievement award
Recognises early-career ESICM members who have already made notable contributions to research, education, clinical practice or society activities. The award highlights emerging leaders who actively contribute to the intensive care community.
Global collaboration award
Honours members who have strengthened international cooperation in intensive care. This includes building partnerships, supporting training programmes, promoting knowledge exchange or contributing to capacity development across regions.
Sustainability award
Recognises initiatives that reduce the environmental footprint of intensive care while maintaining high standards of patient care. This may include projects on resource use, waste reduction, procurement strategies or sustainable clinical practices.
Patient partnership and advocacy award
Honours members who actively involve patients and families in care, education or research. This includes initiatives that improve communication, shared decision making, patient engagement or collaboration with patient organisations.
Allied health professional leadership award
Recognises leadership by nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists, dieticians and other allied health professionals who strengthen multidisciplinary teamwork, improve patient care or advance professional development within intensive care.
Public communication award
Honours members who communicate intensive care topics clearly and responsibly to the public, media or policymakers. This includes raising awareness, translating scientific knowledge into accessible information or contributing to public health discussions.
Patient safety award
Recognises members or teams who have developed or implemented initiatives that improve patient safety, reduce complications or strengthen quality improvement in intensive care. Projects should demonstrate measurable benefits for patient care.
Human-centred partnership award
Honours members who promote respectful, collaborative and person-focused care within intensive care teams and across healthcare systems. This includes initiatives that strengthen teamwork, communication, wellbeing and collaboration between professionals, patients and families.
General eligibility criteria
Nominee must be an active ESICM member at the time of nomination.
Self-nominations are not allowed.
Individual and team nominations are eligible, unless otherwise specified.
Achievements should have occurred within the last 3–5 years, unless the award recognises sustained contribution.
Previous awardees in the same category are not eligible for re-nomination within a defined period.
Nomination requirements
Each nomination should include:
Applications close on 15 June 2026
