2026 Catalyst Award Nominations Open July 15, 2025

About the Catalyst Award

Merriam-Webster defines a catalyst as: “an agent that provokes or speeds significant change or action.”

The inaugural 2023 WORLDSymposium “Be The Catalyst” encouraged all attendees to be catalysts and spark change. In 2024, WORLDSymposium presented the first “Catalyst” award to Zachary Thomas, who was nominated in recognition of his efforts to instigate and expedite changes to newborn screening in Alabama. In 2025, WORLDSymposium presented the second “Catalyst” award to Ryan Colburn, who was nominated in recognition of his efforts to instigate a shift in perspective for the prevalence of Pompe disease.

Please join WORLDSymposium at the 2026 Be The Catalyst at 17:45 PST on Monday, February 2, 2026, at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego, California, where the 2026 WORLDSymposium Catalyst Award will be presented. Then make plans to stay and join in the group photos!

Sign up for meeting updates to receive a notification when the award nominations open and when recipients are announced.