Psych professor awarded $250,000

Penn Psychiatry Professor Emeritus Aaron Beck has been named the recipient of the 2000 Heinz Award in the Human Condition for his work in treating psychiatric disorders. The $250,000 cash award -- one of five awards given annually by Heinz Family Philanthropies -- honors individuals who have developed and implemented innovative programs in the health care field. Beck is the first Penn professor to win the award. "I think [the award is] an acknowledgement that the work that I've done with colleagues and other students has had a worldwide impact," Beck said. Beck is credited with the development of cognitive therapy, which has revolutionized the field of psychiatry. Cognitive therapy helps patients understand and deal with psychological problems. His technique is still used to treat numerous phobias and disorders and has been applied to fields outside of psychiatry. "Some patients have distorted feelings about their treatment," Beck said. "This perception leads to unnecessary suffering." Beck's peers lauded the usefulness of cognitive therapy. "It's quite effective over the short term so that it can treat many more people," Psychiatry Professor Emeritus Albert Stunkard said. "The benefits continue to increase." "He's had an enormous impact," echoed Paul Crits-Christopf, the director of the Center for Psychotherapy Research and a colleague of Beck's. "The form of therapy that he developed is probably the most empirically validated in the world," he added, in reference to cognitive therapy. Beck has written 13 books on psychiatry and has contributed to hundreds of other publications. He also founded the Beck Institute for Cognitive Therapy and Research. Beck graduated from Brown University and received his medical degree from Yale University Medical School. He came to Penn in 1954. "There weren't many people around [Penn] then," Beck joked. "I've been one of the most long-term fixtures at Penn." Stunkard, who has been a friend of Beck's since the two began working at Penn, remembers watching Beck's transition from a by-the-book psychiatrist to a revolutionary thinker. "It's been very interesting watching him develop," Stunkard said. "Over several years, you could see his thinking evolve. It had a tremendous impact on people in the department." Crits-Christopf equated Beck's achievements with those of another legendary psychiatrist, Sigmund Freud. "[Beck] is one of the leading experts in the world on the assessment and treatment of depression," Crits-Christopf said. "He's one of the most famous people in the history of psychiatry and psychology." The Heinz Awards were established in 1993 by Teresa Heinz, the widow of John Heinz, a former Pennsylvania senator. John Heinz, described as a staunch supporter of the University, died in a plane crash in 1991. The awards are given out in the areas of arts and humanities, environment, public policy, technology, the economy and employment and the human condition.