A global health informatics award now bears the name of Marion Ball, a distinguished professor at The University of Texas at Arlington whose career has shaped the field for decades.
The International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA) created the Marion Ball Leadership Award this year to recognize individuals who demonstrate exceptional vision and impact in health informatics. Ball, a member of the National Academy of Medicine, recently received the inaugural honor during IMIA’s international conference in Taipei, Taiwan.
“I’m humbled and grateful to have IMIA establish this award in my name,” said Ball, UT Arlington’s Raj and Indra Nooyi Endowed Distinguished Chair in Bioengineering, Presidential Distinguished Professor and executive director of UTA’s Center for Innovation in Health Informatics.
In 2023, she received the John P. Glaser Health Informatics Innovator Award for her leadership in the field, and in 2022, she was named an Honorary Member by the International Medical Informatics Association: Nursing Informatics Special Interest Group. The Healthcare and Management Systems Society has recognized Ball as one of the 50 most influential IT professionals over the last 50 years.
“Health informatics is a field that I have dedicated my life to and it’s more important than ever to bring technology from theory into practice,” Ball said.
Related: Texas Health Informatics Alliance Conference 2025 at UTA
With more than 55 years of experience in health care and information technology, Ball is recognized worldwide as an innovator, educator, and author.
IMIA CEO Elaine Huesing said Ball’s leadership has profoundly shaped both the association and the field of health informatics.
“Her vision, integrity, and ability to lead with empathy and inclusiveness have not only strengthened the organization but have also inspired generations of leaders,” Huesing said. “Beyond her many accomplishments, it is her unwavering commitment to collaboration, mentorship and advancing IMIA’s global mission that truly distinguishes her.”
Huesing said the new leadership award in Ball’s name recognizes individuals whose leadership reflects the highest standards of vision, integrity and impact.
“It is presented to those who, through their outstanding qualities, inspire others, strengthen the global informatics community, and advance IMIA’s mission,” she said.
About The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA)
Celebrating its 130th anniversary in 2025, The University of Texas at Arlington is a growing public research university in the heart of the thriving Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. With a student body of over 41,000, UTA is the second-largest institution in the University of Texas System, offering more than 180 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Recognized as a Carnegie R-1 university, UTA stands among the nation’s top 5% of institutions for research activity. UTA and its 280,000 alumni generate an annual economic impact of $28.8 billion for the state. The University has received the Innovation and Economic Prosperity designation from the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities and has earned recognition for its focus on student access and success, considered key drivers to economic growth and social progress for North Texas and beyond.
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