As the 3rd ISSOL meeting in 1980 in Jerusalem, the first Oparin medal was awarded to Cyril Ponnamperuma. The Oparin Medal, named in honor of the original founder, was created to recognize extraordinary achievement in the field. Subsequently a Urey Medal was also created and one or the other of these medals is presented to a recipient at each conference, voted on by his or her peers. At the conference in Florence in 2008, The Stanley L. Miller award was announced, providing recognition for outstanding researchers under the age of 37. Every three years ISSOL Fellows are voted on by the society and recognized.
Year Location of Meeting Medalist
1980 Jerusalem Cyril Ponnamperuma (USA) 1st Oparin
1983 Mainz Stanley Miller (USA) 2nd Oparin
1986 Berkeley Juan Oró (USA) 3rd Oparin
1989 Prague J. William Schopf (USA 4th Oparin
1993 Barcelona Leslie Orgel (USA) 1st Urey
1996 Orléans James Ferris (USA) 5th Oparin
1999 San Diego Alan Schwartz (The Netherlands) 2nd Urey
2002 Oaxaca Albert Eschenmoser (Switzerland) 6th Oparin
2005 Beijing Gerald Joyce (USA) 3rd Urey
2008 Florence James Kasting (USA) 7th Oparin
2011 Montpellier Jack Szostak (USA) 4th Urey