Research for a hero!

A celebration of skill, spirit and scientific swagger at the 2026 Clinical Researcher of the Year Awards – The Americas. John Pinching reports

Clinical research may generally run on precision, protocol and relentless problem-solving, but once a year it is fuelled by pure, unapologetic joy (with a pinch of data-driven ecstasy).

Indeed, the eleventh 2026 Clinical Researcher of the Year – The Americas finals and gala unfolded at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel in North Carolina, amid wild celebrations.

This year’s finalists arrived not as quiet operators behind the scenes, but as heroic ambassadors for a profession that keeps global healthcare moving. After months of assessments, scenario challenges and scrutiny from the Executive Steering Group, the best of the best stepped forward.

The categories reflected the breadth of modern clinical operations: Clinical Programmer, Data Management & Biostatistics, Clinical Research Co-ordinator, Clinical Trial Administrator, Clinical Trial Manager, Decentralised Solutions Individual of the Year, Novice CRA and Intermediate CRA.

The mood throughout the day was familiar to anyone who has been involved in any of our PharmaTimes Awards – a unique blend of competitive focus and genuine camaraderie. Finalists swapped stories from sites, shared hard-won wisdom and compared the dizzying quirks of working across time zones, all while navigating a steady flow of coffee, adrenaline and, finally, deafening applause.

By the time the gala began, our clinical crews were ready to show exactly why they had rocked up in outfits they had never or rarely worn before! It wasn’t just an awards ceremony; it was a reminder that clinical research is delivered by real humans with real passion. And, now more than ever, that seemed very appropriate.

Ultimately, the 2026 event didn’t simply recognise excellence – it honoured the resilience, creativity and determination that define clinical researchers everywhere. And yet again, it showed that when this community comes together, it doesn’t just transform science, it takes it to a whole new level. 

Clinical Programmer, Data Management & Biostatistics
Gold – Nancy Monterrubio López, PPD™ clinical research business of Thermo Fisher Scientific

Clinical Research Co-ordinator
Gold – Parker Shoaf, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine

Clinical Trial Administrator
Gold – Julia Lourdes Rotelle, Worldwide Clinical Trials

Clinical Trial Manager
Gold – Casey Wagner, Linical

Decentralised Solutions Individual of the Year
Gold – Alexis Kelly, PPD™ clinical research business of Thermo Fisher Scientific

Novice CRA
Gold – Bethany Ostermann, PPD™ clinical research business of Thermo Fisher Scientific

Intermediate CRA
Gold – Poornima Gopalan, CTI Clinical Trials

For complete list of USCROY winners please search
‘pharmatimes uscroy winners’