The American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) has recognized Nicholas Peppas with their 2021 Global Leader Award. The AAPS Global Leader Award recognizes a leader working in pharmaceutical science, technology, engineering, or education whose contributions to the field have resulted in outstanding positive impact on education and public health.

Peppas is a distinguished educator, internationally recognized engineering scientist, inventor, and pace setter in the fields of drug delivery, controlled release, biomaterials and bionanotechnology.

Peppas is a professor in the Cockrell School of Engineering’s Department of Biomedical Engineering and the McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering. He also holds appointments in the College of Pharmacy and Dell Medical School.

Peppas’ research blends modern molecular and cellular biology with materials engineering to produce next-generation systems and devices. He has contributed seminal work in the field of feedback-controlled biomedical devices.

Over 45 years, Peppas has taught dozens of courses and mentored more than 5,300 graduate and undergraduate students. He has been recognized by the American Society of Engineering Education for excellence in teaching.

Peppas is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, Institute of Medicine, and Academy of Inventors, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He has received numerous international awards and distinctions, including induction into the Royal Society of Chemistry, French Academy of Pharmacy, Royal Academy of Spain, Academy of Athens, Chinese Academy of Engineering, and the Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas, among many others.