Newswise — WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 3, 2015) — In 1965, the board of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), then called the Harvey Cushing Society, directed that each year an invitation be extended to “one eminent in human affairs,” to deliver the Cushing Oration at the AANS Annual Scientific Meeting.
The oration honors Dr. Harvey Cushing, who was a true Renaissance man. He founded the specialty of neurosurgery, creating new procedures and surgical equipment. He pioneered the study of endocrinology and also contributed greatly to advances in general surgery, as he is credited with introducing North America to blood pressure measurement and its relation to a patient’s status during surgery. Beyond his medical successes, Cushing was awarded the 1926 Pulitzer Prize for Biography for his book, “The Life of Sir William Osler.”
Maintaining that model of a Renaissance man, the 2015 Cushing Orator, Charles Krauthammer, MD, is “a physician, a political commentator and, like Cushing, a Pulitzer Prize winning author.” said Robert E. Harbaugh, MD, FAANS, and 2014-2015 AANS president.
Known for his bold and original writing, Krauthammer has helped shape American foreign policy. He coined and developed “The Reagan Doctrine” (TIME, April 1985), defined the structure of the post-Cold War world in “The Unipolar Moment” (Foreign Affairs, Winter 1990/1991) and outlined the principles of post-9/11 American foreign policy in his much-debated Irving Kristol Lecture, “Democratic Realism” (AEI Press, March 2004). Krauthammer will speak during the Plenary Session on Tuesday, May 5.
Jonathan Turley will present the Hunt-Wilson Lecture. This lecture is made possible, thanks to an endowment established by Timir Banerjee, MD, FAANS(L), in honor of his mentors, William Hunt, MD; and Charles Wilson, MD. Turley is a lawyer, legal scholar, legal analyst and professor who is recognized as one of the nation’s top legal advocates. Turley has written on topics ranging from constitutional law to legal theory. “(He) has written extensively on the separation of powers in the government. Given current issues in the United States, I think his lecture will be very timely,” commented Harbaugh.
Spencer Wells, PhD, will provide the The Rhoton Family Lecture, which is made possible through an endowment established by Albert L. Rhoton Jr., MD, FAANS(L), in honor of his family. Wells is a geneticist, author and documentary filmmaker who has dedicated his career to studying humankind’s family tree, aiming to create the first-ever map of human migration in order to document how humans came to populate the planet.
The Louise Eisenhardt Lecture will be presented by Sally, Satel, MD. Satel is a practicing psychiatrist and lecturer at the Yale University School of Medicine. She examines mental health policy, political trends in medicine and the misuse of neuroscience. Her articles have been published in The New Republic, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, the Huffington Post and in scholarly publications, such as Policy Review and the American Enterprise Institute.
Media Representatives: The 2015 AANS Annual Scientific Meeting press kit includes releases on highlighted scientific research, AANS officers and award winners, Neurosurgery Awareness Week and other relevant information about this year’s program. Those releases will also be posted under the “Media” area on the 2015 AANS Annual Scientific Meeting website. If you have interest in a topic related to neurosurgery or would like to interview a neurosurgeon — either onsite or via telephone — during this year’s event, please contact Alice Kelsey, AANS director of marketing and communications, via email at [email protected].
About the 2015 AANS Annual Scientific Meeting: Attended by neurosurgeons, neurosurgical residents, medical students, neuroscience nurses, clinical specialists, physician assistants, allied health professionals and other medical professionals, the AANS Annual Scientific Meeting is the largest gathering of neurosurgeons in the nation, with an emphasis on the field’s latest research and technological advances. More than 1,200 scientific abstracts were presented for review at the 2015 AANS Annual Scientific Meeting, and the scientific presentations given at this year’s event represent cutting-edge examples of the incredible developments taking place within the field of neurosurgery. Additional information about the 2015 AANS Annual Scientific Meeting and the meeting program can be found here.
Founded in 1931 as the Harvey Cushing Society, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) is a scientific and educational association with more than 9,000 members worldwide. The AANS is dedicated to advancing the specialty of neurological surgery in order to provide the highest quality of neurosurgical care to the public. Fellows of the AANS are board-certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, or the Mexican Council of Neurological Surgery, A.C. Neurosurgery is the medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of disorders that affect the spinal column, spinal cord, brain, nervous system and peripheral nerves.
For more information, visit www.AANS.org.
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