This award recognizes and encourages the professional development of a young investigator who has demonstrated exceptional scientific achievements early in his or her career. It is given based on the degree of originality exhibited in the individual's creative process and the significance of the research conducted relevant to the field of clinical laboratory medicine. It is conferred upon an individual who has the potential to be an outstanding investigator of the future. (The individual must not have reached the age of 40 by January 1 in the year in which the award is to be given and must be an AACC member.)