Announcing the 2025 Neuropsychology & Cognition Award Recipients
The Hydrocephalus Association (HA) is proud to announce the awardees of the 2025 Neuropsychology & Cognition Award, a program dedicated to advancing research that deepens our understanding of cognitive, psychological, and developmental outcomes for people living with hydrocephalus:
Dr. Catherine Stephan, PhD
Clinical Psychologist in the Center for Neuropsychological and Psychological Assessment at Kennedy Krieger Institute
Project: Developing a brief, repeatable, and web-based assessment of cognitive status for patients with obstructive hydrocephalus
Access to timely cognitive assessment is one of the major challenges faced by individuals with hydrocephalus. Traditional neuropsychological evaluations can be lengthy, difficult to schedule, and not always feasible to repeat regularly—especially during periods of clinical change or after surgery.
Dr. Catherine Stephan is addressing this gap by developing a brief, repeatable, web-based cognitive assessment tool specifically designed for people with obstructive hydrocephalus. This tool aims to give clinicians and patients a practical way to track cognitive functioning over time, detect meaningful changes earlier, and support more informed medical decision-making. By reducing barriers to assessment, this project directly advances HA’s research priorities to improve measurement tools and promote better long-term cognitive monitoring.
Dr. Gwendolyn Gerner, PsyD & Dr. Joanna Burton, MD, PhD
Dr. Gerner: developmental neuropsychologist in the Department of Neuropsychology at Kennedy Krieger Institute
Dr. Burton: developmental neurologist at Kennedy Krieger Institute and medical director of the Early Childhood Development and Education Center and the Child and Family Support Center
Posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus of prematurity (PHHP): elucidating neurocognitive and neurobehavioral phenotypes with robust longitudinal assessment
Babies born prematurely who develop posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus often face complex developmental challenges—but the field still lacks clear, longitudinal data to understand how early brain injury relates to later cognitive and behavioral outcomes.
Drs. Gwendolyn Gerner and Joanna Burton are launching a comprehensive, long-term study following infants with PHHP into early childhood. Their project will characterize neurocognitive and neurobehavioral profiles using detailed developmental assessments across multiple timepoints. This work will help clinicians better anticipate the needs of infants with PHHP, refine early intervention strategies, and ultimately improve developmental trajectories. Their study directly advances several HA research priorities, including improving early developmental assessment, identifying risk factors for cognitive outcomes, and strengthening longitudinal research efforts.
Our Commitment to Neuropsychology & Cognition Research
This award reflects a longstanding commitment shaped directly by our community. Neuropsychology and cognition emerged as a top Community Research Priority, emphasizing the urgent need to improve assessment tools, track developmental changes, and develop interventions that support meaningful life outcomes. In 2024, the Hydrocephalus Association formally released a set of Research Priorities to Improve Neuropsychological and Cognitive Outcomes in Hydrocephalus, defining the most pressing gaps and opportunities in the field. These priorities continue to guide our investments today.
We are honored to support these research leaders and grateful to our community for guiding our priorities. By advancing research on neuropsychological and cognitive outcomes, we are strengthening the foundation for understanding quality-of-life impacts across the lifespan and supporting earlier, more effective interventions for people living with hydrocephalus.