March 10, 2026 | Jennifer Stewart-Burton
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Sonak Pastakia, professor of pharmacy practice at the Purdue University College of Pharmacy, has been named the 2026 recipient of the Paul R. Dawson Award for Excellence in Patient Care Research by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.
The national award recognizes an active scientist within pharmacy education who has demonstrated leadership in research that advances health services delivery and directly improves patient outcomes. The honor encompasses basic, clinical, translational and health services research.
Much of Pastakia’s career has focused on improving health care delivery in rural western Kenya. Through sustained partnerships and implementation science, he has helped establish a community-based care program that now serves more than 25,000 community members. He also contributed to the development of a pharmacy distribution system that provides antiretroviral medications to more than 125,000 people living with HIV.
In addition, Pastakia helped introduce a supply chain system for essential medications — including treatments for cardiovascular disease — across more than 150 sites. His work has also supported the design and construction of a school for vulnerable youth in the region.
“The receipt of the Dawson Award helps to demonstrate the collective success we can achieve when we provide comprehensive support to vulnerable populations,” Pastakia said. “Nearly 20 years ago, Purdue gave me the opportunity to be based in western Kenya and work with the Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare (AMPATH) program. I had the privilege of working with the most resilient population I had ever encountered. From street youth doing everything possible to break the poverty cycle to people living with diabetes desperately searching to find reliable and consistent supplies of insulin, these individuals found ways to overcome countless barriers.
“The impact we were able to demonstrate through our programs is a testament to the immense resourcefulness of the people we have been able to serve.”
Beyond Kenya, Pastakia collaborates with partners in Indianapolis, India and Guyana to expand access to health care services and strengthen sustainable delivery models in resource-limited settings.
“Dr. Pastakia’s work exemplifies the mission of our college to advance pharmacy practice and improve patient outcomes through impactful research and service,” said John Allen, Purdue’s Marvin and Melanie Richardson Department Head of Pharmacy Practice. “This national recognition underscores the significant contributions he has made to global health and pharmacy education. We’re proud to have his leadership in our department.”
Pastakia’s work is part of Purdue’s One Health initiative, which involves research at the intersection of human, animal and plant health and well-being. He is the second faculty member in Purdue’s Department of Pharmacy Practice to receive the Dawson Award since its inception in 2008. Karen Hudmon, professor of pharmacy practice, received the honor in 2019. The Purdue College of Pharmacy is the only institution with two Dawson Award winners.
The award will be formally conferred during the 2026 AACP Pharmacy Education Conference, scheduled for July 18–21 in Grapevine, Texas.
About Purdue University
Purdue University is a public research university leading with excellence at scale. Ranked among top 10 public universities in the United States, Purdue discovers, disseminates and deploys knowledge with a quality and at a scale second to none. More than 106,000 students study at Purdue across multiple campuses, locations and modalities, including more than 57,000 at our main campus locations in West Lafayette and Indianapolis. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue’s main campus has frozen tuition 14 years in a row. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap — including its integrated, comprehensive Indianapolis urban expansion; the Mitch Daniels School of Business; Purdue Computes; and the One Health initiative — at https://www.purdue.edu/president/strategic-initiatives.
