Pru Pratten Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award

Awarded to Dr Jennifer Alphonse, 2024

The recipient of the 2024 Pru Pratten Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award is Dr Jennifer Alphonse. Since 1993, Jennifer has been a dedicated member of the ASA, starting as a trainee while studying at The University of Sydney. Inspired by her educators, Jennifer has actively contributed to the ASA through presentations at various conferences and workshops, sharing her knowledge and advancing the sonography profession. Jennifer has a strong commitment to supporting sonographers in regional, rural, and remote areas of Australia, providing education and networking opportunities. 

Jennifer's service includes roles on multiple organising committees, such as co-convenor of the Obstetric and Gynaecological stream and involvement in the Inaugural Educational Advisory Committee. Jennifer has also contributed to research through her own PhD and associated publications; she has co-authored several papers and acted as a PhD mentor. As a former ASA Director and President, Jennifer played a key role in stabilising the ASA financially and growing its membership. Her commitment to education, professional development, and the advancement of sonography is evident throughout her extensive career. 

The ASA is proud to present Jennifer with this prestigious Award. Thank you for your continued service to the ASA, your peers and your profession.

See the 2024 Awards of Exellence recipients 

See the 2024 Fellowship Inductees

About the award

The prestigious Pru Pratten Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award (PPMLAA) recognises and honours a sonographer who has made a significant contribution to the profession, and the ASA, over the course of their career.  

PPMLAA nominees will display a desire for excellence, demonstrate outstanding achievements and through their personal efforts have helped to advance the sonography profession. See below for nomination criteria and eligibility. 

The 2024 Award recipient will be announced and honoured at the Gala Dinner held at the ASA2024 Sydney Conference. 

In 2023, the ASA Board made the decision to grant all past and future Pru Pratten Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award recipients with Honorary ASA Lifetime Membership, in recognition of their invaluable contributions to the sonography profession and to the ASA. 

Criteria

The nomination criteria include three categories: 

• Service to the ASA – includes presenting at ASA events, writing for Sonography journal, and being active on ASA committees/branches, 
• Mentoring and training – includes being actively involved in the training of others to more formal positions of clinical supervisors or educators, 
• Service to humanity and innovation – includes research, volunteering to outreach communities or the creation of new ways of educating and training sonographers. 

You can find the detailed criteria here

Eligibility 

To be eligible for nomination: 

• The nominee must be a financial and continuous member of the ASA for a minimum of 15 years, 
• Nominees cannot have previously received the ASA Sonographer of the Year, Pru Pratten Memorial Award 
• Nominees cannot be current sitting ASA Board members or ASA staff  

Nominees may also be put forward for the Awards of Excellence in the same year, however separate applications will need to be submitted.