Robert Hartzman Memorial Service Award
Award Recipients
- 2024: Nelson Chao, MD
- 2022: Judith Bader, MD
Award Background
The Robert Hartzman Memorial Service Award is given at least every two years in coordination with the Radiation Injury Treatment NetworkSM (RITNSM) biennial workshop.
Captain Hartzman, MD, was the impetus behind RITN. As the Office of Naval Research Program Officer for the NMDPSM research grant, he envisioned incorporating a contingency network of bone marrow transplant hospitals ready to respond to a radiological disaster with mass casualties.
This became a priority following the tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001, and resulted in the first 13 hospitals signing contracts in 2006 to prepare for disasters with marrow toxic injuries.
During the formation and growth of RITN, Dr. Hartzman consistently advocated throughout the federal government in Washington, D.C. and beyond about the importance of radiological preparedness for marrow toxic injuries. He always promoted RITN, spreading awareness to everyone he could about the great work of the network of hospitals.
Because of this, RITN has established a memorial award to recognize those whose contributions to the mission of RITN in the areas of education, outreach, awareness or training materials resulted in increased readiness for radiological disasters. In doing so, award recipients embody Dr. Hartzman’s virtues of passion, commitment, tenacity, vision, selfless service, and boundless energy for marrow transplant and radiological disaster preparedness.