The University of Miami Women's Commission has awarded Nancy Klimas, M.D., professor of medicine, psychology, and microbiology and immunology, the prestigious May A. Brunson Award for her quarter century-plus efforts on behalf of women.

The award, bestowed at the commission's 39th annual awards breakfast last month, is named for UM's second dean of women and recognizes an administrator, faculty or staff member who has made an outstanding contribution to improving the status of women at the University.

Klimas said it was an "extraordinary honor'' to be recognized by so many other deserving university women.

"It is particularly gratifying to be recognized by the Women's Commission, as each and every member could stand beside me in accepting this honor for the important work they do as individuals and as a group,'' she said. "The women of this University are committed to helping women realize their full potential. The work that I do with a splendid group of clinicians and investigators to extend this to women's health is immensely rewarding and comes from the heart.''

Dr. Klimas has mentored many female medical students and faculty over the past 26 years, but her commitment to women extends far beyond the walls of UM. She has worked tirelessly, both nationally and internationally, to advance the understanding of diseases predominately affecting women, as well as helping improve women's access to health care.

A national leader in the treatment and research of chronic fatigue syndrome, she served as president of the International Association for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and is currently a member of the board of directors. Through her work in CFS, a disease disproportionately affecting women, she brought a feminist perspective to clinical access, to quality care and to a better understanding of women's health issues. The current issue of Ms. Magazine contains her second article on chronic fatigue syndrome.

Her contributions to women also extend beyond the purely scientific. As a medical student, she formed a group of "medical students for the ERA" and at UM founded and was the first president of the UM Medical Women, an organization dedicated to the status and advancement of women in the medical school.

For many years she served as faculty advisor to this organization, mentoring and counseling junior faculty, house staff officers and medical students. A member of the National Organization for Women's Task Force on Women's Health Issues, she also was instrumental in establishing the Gauze Ceiling, an organization of local female physicians that works to advance women in medicine in the South Florida community.

At the same ceremony, held March 25 in the Hurricane 100 Room at BankUnited Center, senior Sophie Khokhawalla, who is majoring in neuroscience with minors in chemistry, biology, and philosophy, received the Louise P. Mills Award. It was named for the former UM associate dean of women, dean of women, and associate director of student personnel.