July 01, 2024

Eric Liljencrantz Award

The Eric Liljencrantz award was established in memory of CDR Eric Liljencrantz, MC, USN, whose brilliant career in aviation medicine was cut short by his death in an airplane accident in 1942. It is given annually to honor excellence as an educator in aerospace medicine, or basic research into the problems of acceleration, altitude, or weightlessness. It is sponsored by Aerospace Medical PLC.

Richard Scheuring, D.O., M.S., RMSK, FAsMA, FAAFP

Richard Scheuring, D.O., M.S., RMSK, FAsMA, FAAFP, is the recipient of the 2024 Eric Liljencrantz Award for his distinguished career, in which he has made aerospace medical education a priority, bringing his knowledge and experience in the field to medical colleagues, astronauts, aircrew members, and students worldwide. He has been recognized by several organizations for excellence, including receiving the Houston Methodist Hospital Department of Orthopedic Surgery Outstanding Educator Award. In this instance, Dr. Scheuring used his knowledge of pre-, in- and postflight space medicine related musculoskeletal conditions to educate nationally recognized leaders in orthopedic surgery and sports medicine to help diagnose, treat, and design preventive medicine measures for occupational injuries in NASA astronauts and pilots. He has served as a mentor and preceptor for the aerospace medicine clerkship at NASA-JSC since 2007 and has lectured worldwide on aerospace medical topics.
   Dr. Scheuring is a NASA flight surgeon at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX, a position he has held since 2007. He is currently the lead physician for the Artemis II lunar mission set to launch September 2025; the Team Lead Physician for NASA’s Astronaut Musculoskeletal Medicine and Rehabilitation; and has served as the lead crew surgeon of ISS Expeditions 52/53, ISS Expeditions 60/61/62, and most recently as the deputy crew surgeon for the U.S. record-setting 1-year mission of Expeditions 65/66. He also serves as a Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves. He is stationed at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences at Bethesda, MD, where he is an associate professor in military and emergency medicine.
   Dr. Scheuring completed his undergraduate degree at Eastern Illinois University in 1986, medical school at the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1993, Family Practice residency at Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Medical Center in Denver, CO, in 1996, the Aerospace Medicine Residency and Master of Science graduate program at Wright State University in Dayton, OH, in 2005, and most recently an orthopedic ultrasound fellowship at Detroit Medical Center in 2013. He is a Fellow of the Aerospace Medical Association (AsMA) and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). He serves as a mentor and guest speaker for the Aerospace Medical Student-Resident Organization (AMSRO) through AsMA.
   Dr. Scheuring received the NASA “Silver Snoopy” in 2019 for extraordinary contribution to the U.S. space program and devotion to crew health and safety. The Aerospace Medical Association recognized him with the Joseph Kerwin Award in 2017 for his work on identifying the mechanisms of shoulder injuries in U.S. astronauts training in the Neutral Buoyancy Lab Extravehicular Mobility Unit and designing successful mitigation strategies. He was also recognized in 2021 with the NASA Exceptional Achievement Award for his role as the ISS Expedition 60/61/62 Prime Crew Surgeon and as COL Drew Morgan’s flight surgeon. In 2020 NASA awarded him the NASA Silver Achievement award for outstanding contribution to the engineering effort to design new exercise equipment for astronauts going to the Moon or Mars. His military medals include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the senior space badge, senior flight surgeon badge, Antarctic service medal, and U.S. army commendation and achievement awards.