Dr. Robert M. Rodriguez, associate dean of clinical and population health research in the UC Riverside School of Medicine, was awarded the Sheryl Heron, MD, MPH Legacy Award at the Society of Academic Emergency Medicine annual meeting in Philadelphia on May 15. 

Established by the society’s Academy for Diversity & Inclusion in Emergency Medicine, the award honors an emergency medicine physician who exemplifies the legacy of Dr. Heron in terms of emergency medicine research in underserved, diverse populations.

Heron is a professor of emergency medicine and vice chair of faculty equity, engagement, and empowerment for emergency medicine at Emory University. She has dedicated her career to addressing healthcare disparities, particularly among underserved and diverse populations.

“I am honored and grateful to receive this award, which is really a tribute to my outstanding mentees and collaborators who seek to improve emergency care and public health for underserved, medically vulnerable populations,” Rodriguez said.

Before joining UCR earlier this year, Rodriguez was a professor of emergency medicine and vice chair of research at the UC San Francisco School of Medicine.