Cook wins faculty excellence award

The UW Division of General Internal Medicine has bestowed the 2026 Faculty Excellence in Research Award to UW-CTRI Director of Veterans Research Dr. Jessica Cook, PhD.

The award recognizes excellence in independent research, scholarly productivity, innovation, impact on the field, and contributions to fostering scholarship within GIM. Nominators highlighted Cook’s nationally recognized research program, her sustained record of federal funding, and her leadership in advancing evidence-based tobacco treatment.

“Anyone who has worked with Jess knows how deserving she is of this honor,” said UW-CTRI Director Dr. Hasmeena Kathuria. “She has improved treatment for people who smoke, shaped clinical practice within and beyond the VA, and informed national tobacco treatment policy. Her work has made a meaningful difference in patients’ lives and contributed enormously to the success and national reputation of UW-CTRI.”

Cook said she’s honored, and credited her team of UW-CTRI colleagues who help her implement her research, including Elana Brubaker, Kirsten Webster and Mark Zehner.