Robert Kerns, PhD, was awarded a Presidential Citation for his groundbreaking research on pain management and his remarkable leadership within psychology.
Professor of psychiatry, neurology and psychology, Yale University, and director of the VA Pain Research, Informatics, Medical Comorbidities and Education Center, Kerns has made innumerable contributions to the understanding and management of pain. From 2006 to 2013, he was the national director for pain research within the VA Central Office. He has had substantial grant support leading to over 200 publications, which have expanded our knowledge of pain assessment and treatment of chronic pain. A member of numerous editorial boards, he is senior editor of Pain Medicine. His service to psychology has been extensive, especially within APA Divisions 18 (Public Service) and 38 (Health Psychology), in which he has served as president. Through the VA system and at Yale he has trained and mentored countless psychologists in predoctoral, postdoctoral and faculty roles. Kerns has received numerous awards from APA Divisions, the VA and interdisciplinary professional associations focused on pain.