WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute Chair Dr. Ali Rezai receives prestigious Ellis Island Medal of Honor

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia University today announced that Ali Rezai, M.D., executive chair of the Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute (RNI), has received the 2025 Ellis Island Medal of Honor. 

This annual award celebrates “inspiring Americans who are selflessly working for the betterment of our country and its citizens.” Both Houses of Congress view the medal as one of the nation’s most prestigious awards, recognizing its honorees in the Congressional Record.

In selecting Dr. Rezai, the Ellis Island Honors Society cited his pioneering work in neuroscience using technologies such as focused ultrasound and deep brain stimulation to unlock new potential in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, addiction, and other conditions. 

Together, Rezai and the RNI team are making profound differences for their patients, advancing neuroscience research, educating the next generation of clinicians and neuroscientists, and offering new hope to patients around the world.   
  
“At the RNI, we’re on a mission to tackle some of the most pressing public health challenges of our time,” Rezai said. “I am humbled to receive this honor alongside so many impressive Americans, all of whom have made significant contributions to our country and the world beyond. Thank you to the Ellis Island Honors Society for this award.”

With this recognition, Rezai joins the distinguished ranks of Ellis Island Medal of Honor recipients. Since 1986, this award has been presented to U.S. presidents, Supreme Court justices, Nobel Prize laureates, captains of industry, and other noteworthy Americans. 

Past recipients include Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Donald Trump, Sandra Day O’Connor, John McCain, Rosa Parks, Muhammad Ali, Bob Hope, Lee Iacocca, Quincy Jones, Frank Sinatra, and Coretta Scott King.

For more information and a complete list of current and past honorees, visit EIHonors.org.

About the WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute 
The WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute (RNI) is a comprehensive multidisciplinary patient care, education, and research institute providing neurological and mental healthcare for 300,000 patient visits annually. The 300 physicians and scientists of the RNI improve lives by pioneering advances in neuroscience, brain health, and therapeutics. The RNI team uses the latest technologies with academic, government, and industry partners to make tangible progress to combat public health challenges ranging from addiction to Alzheimer’s disease. For more information, visit WVUMedicine.org/RNI.