Dr. Eddie Méndez
Dr. Eddie Méndez was a physician-scientist and cherished colleague at Fred Hutch who died of cancer in 2018 at age 45. An expert in head and neck cancers, Méndez was known for being passionate about developing new therapies to help prevent cancer treatment side effects and save his patients’ lives.
Méndez, a native of Puerto Rico, attended Princeton University and then obtained a medical degree from the University of Maryland at Baltimore. He later came to the University of Washington as a surgical resident, eventually spearheading minimally invasive robotic surgery for these tumors (he was the first in Washington state to perform such surgery.)
In 2019, the Fred Hutch leadership created the Dr. Eddie Méndez Scholar Award to extend his commitment to supporting early-career scientists, particularly those from underrepresented racial and ethnic backgrounds.
Méndez Award
The award recognizes outstanding postdoctoral fellows from any discipline who are conducting cancer, infectious disease, or basic science research and individuals who are eligible are from backgrounds that are underrepresented in science.
Recipients receive an honorarium and are celebrated at a scientific symposium, where they present their research findings, connect with fellow scientists and meet with Fred Hutch faculty and senior leaders.
Eligibility
- Postdoctoral fellow
- Recent completion of postdoctoral fellowship
- U.S citizen or,
- Non U.S. citizen if completed a postdoctoral fellowship in a laboratory located in the U.S.
FAQ
If you are a postdoc but your title is something different (postdoctoral researcher, postdoctoral scholar, etc), you are eligible to apply. Medical residents and clinical fellows are not eligible for this award.
You are eligible to apply if you have completed your postdoctoral fellowship within 1 year of the application deadline and are in a non-faculty staff position (i.e. staff scientist, project scientist) with intentions of entering the academic job market.
Non-U.S. citizens are eligible to apply if they are completing their postdoctoral fellowship in a laboratory located in the U.S.
Yes. We accept applications from scientists from all backgrounds.
No. Scientists who have entered the academic job market at the time of application or symposium are not eligible to apply. If selected, you will be asked to confirm that you have yet applied for academic jobs.
Méndez Symposium
The next cohort of Méndez Scholars will be recognized on July 16-17, 2025. Award recipients are recognized as outstanding postdoctoral fellows who are conducting cancer, infectious disease or basic science research.
Pictured on left is the 2022 Méndez cohort.
Continuing a Legacy
Dr. Ahmed Diab, an inaugural winner of the Dr. Eddie Méndez Award, remembers his mentor and the connection they shared.