Scientist of the Year Honorees

Each year, to reinforce ARCS Foundation's interest in scientific excellence, the San Diego Chapter recognizes an individual scientist for their outstanding achievement in the scientific arena.

Past recipients:

2023 Dr. Margaret Leinen
Vice Chancellor, Marine Sciences at UC San Diego
Director, Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Dean, School of Marine Sciences

2022 Dr. Ardem Patapoutian
Professor, Scripps Research

2021 Dr. Erica Ollmann Saphire
Professor, La Jolla Institute for Immunology

2020 Dr. Paul Schimmel
Professor of Molecular Biology, Scripps Research

2018 Dr. Fred "Rusty" Gage
President, Salk Institute

2017 Dr. Karen E. Nelson
President, J. Craig Venter Institute

2016 Dr. Lawrence Goldstein
Distinguished Professor, UCSD School of Medicine

2015 Gregory T. Lucier
Former Chairman & CEO, Life Technologies Corporation

2014 Dr. V. S. Ramachandran
Director, Center for Brain and Cognition
University of California, San Diego

2013 Dr. Eric J. Topol
Director, Scripps Translational Science Institute
Chief Academic Officer, Scripps Health
Professor of Genomics, Scripps Research

2012 Dean Kamen
Scientist, Innovator, Entrepreneur

2011 Dr. Richard C. Atkinson
President Emeritus, University of California, San Diego

2010 Dr. J. Craig Venter
Founder, Chairman & President
J. Craig Venter Institute

2009 Dr. Erminia Guarneri
Founder and Medical Director
Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine

2008 Dr. Bruce Margon
Vice Chancellor for Research
University of California, Santa Cruz

2007 Dr. John C. Reed
President & CEO
Burnham Institute for Medical Research

2006 Dr. Ivor Royston
Oncologist, Entrepreneur,
Venture Capitalist & Philanthropist
Co-Founder, Forward Ventures

2005 Burt Rutan
President & CEO, Scaled Composites, LLC

2004 Dr. Sydney Brenner
Distinguished Professor
Salk Institute for Biological Studies

2003 Dr. Marcia McNutt
President & CEO
Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute

2002 Dr. Richard A. Lerner
President, Scripps Research

2001 Dr. Dean Ornish
Founder, President and Director
Preventive Medicine Research Institute of Sausalito

2000 Dr. Irwin Mark Jacobs
Chairman and CEO, QUALCOMM

1999 Dr. Francis H. C. Crick
Nobel Laureate
Distinguished Research Professor
Salk Institute for Biological Studies

1998 Dr. Gail K. Naughton
President and Chief Operating Officer
Advanced Tissue Sciences, Incorporated

1997 Dr. Kurt Benirschke
Professor Emeritus of Pathology & Reproductive Medicine
University of California, San Diego, Medical Center

1996 Dr. Floyd Bloom
Chairman, Department of Neuropharmacology
Scripps Research
Editor-in-Chief, Science Magazine

1995 Dr. Carolyn and Dr. Eugene Shoemaker
Co-discoverers, Shoemaker-Levy 9 Comet

1994 Dr. Gerald M. Edelman
Nobel laureate
Scripps Research

1993 Professor Walter Munk
Geophysicist
Scripps Institution of Oceanography

1992 Dr. Paul MacCready
Inventor, Gossamer Condor

1991 Admiral James D. Watkins
Secretary, U. S. Department of Energy

1990 Dr. Sally K. Ride
Astronaut
Professor of Physics
University of California, San Diego

1989 Dr. Simon Ramo
Cofounder, TRW, Incorporated

1988 Dr. Cecil H. Green
Cofounder, Texas Instruments, Incorporated

1987 Dr. Allen E. Puckett
Chairman Emeritus, Hughes Aircraft Company

DR. MARGARET LEINEN - 2023
Dr. Erica Ollmann Saphire
DR. ERICA OLLMANN SAPHIRE - 2021
Dr. Fred "Rusty" Gage - 2018
Dr. Lawrence Goldstein - 2016
Dr, Mimi Guarneri - 2009
Dr. Francis H. C. Crick - 1999
Dr. Sally K. Ride - 1990
Dr. Ardem Patapoutian
DR. ARDEM PATAPOUTIAN - 2022
DR. PAUL SCHIMMEL - 2020
Dr. Karen E. Nelson - 2017
Dr. Eric J. Topol - 2013
Dr. Craig Venter - 2010
Dr. Irwin Mark Jacobs - 2000
Professor Walter Munk - 1993