Dr. Connie S. Schmaljohn of the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) has been awarded the Meritorious Senior Professional Rank Award for the Department of the Army for 2017.

Schmaljohn is Senior Research Scientist for Medical Defense Against Infectious Disease Threats (ST) at USAMRIID and her research involves developing medical countermeasures against highly lethal viruses of military importance. She was instrumental in the discovery of hantaviruses, a previously unknown class of rodent-borne viruses that cause hemorrhagic fever or severe respiratory diseases in humans. In addition, she is a widely recognized pioneer and world expert on DNA vaccines and highly pathogenic viruses.

Schmaljohn introduced novel vaccine technologies that led to five clinical trials of first-of-kind recombinant DNA-based vaccines to protect against hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome and Venezuelan equine encephalitis. She has more than 200 research publications and 21 U.S. and international patents to her credit and is the recipient of numerous scientific awards and honors.

Twenty-one Army civilians received Presidential Rank Awards at a June 25 ceremony hosted by Army Secretary Mark T. Esper. The Presidential Rank status is the most prestigious recognition afforded to career executives and senior professionals in the federal government and is the Nation's highest civil service award. Awardees are nominated by their agency, evaluated through boards of private citizens, and approved by the President of the United States.