Special Feature: Presentation of the 2006 Morris F. Collen Award to Edward H. (Ted) Shortliffe

The American College of Medical Informatics is an honorary society established to recognize those who have made sustained contributions to the field. Its highest award, for lifetime achievement and contributions to the discipline now known more inclusively as biomedical informatics, is the Morris F. Collen Award. Dr. Collen’s own efforts as a pioneer in the field stand as the embodiment of creativity, intellectual rigor, perseverance, and personal integrity. At most once a year, the College gives its highest recognition to an individual whose attainments have, throughout a career, substantially advanced the science and art of biomedical informatics. In 2006, the College was proud to present the Collen Award to Edward Hance Shortliffe, M.D., Ph.D. (Figure 1). As a physician, computer scientist, researcher, educator, and eloquent spokesperson for the field, Dr. Shortliffe’s career contributions make him most deserving of the recognition embodied in the Collen Award.