The Merentibus Medal is awarded for great services rendered to the Jagiellonian University. It can be given either to a person, or to an institution, from both Poland and abroad. In exceptional cases, staff members of the Jagiellonian University can also be awarded. The decision to award the medal is made by the JU Senate, following a proposal put forward by the Rector. Each time the medal is given, an entry in the Book of the Awarded, justifying the decision, is made. The medal is awarded by the JU Rector during academic ceremonies. At the presentation ceremony, the medal recipient is also given a certificate, and the relevant entry from the Book of the Awarded is read.
Dr. Howard Halpern, a Professor of Radiation and Cellular Oncology at the University of Chicago, is renowned for his expertise in medical imaging techniques, particularly very low frequency-imaging-electron paramagnetic resonance (VLF-I-EPR). This technique enables measurement of changes in oxygen content in tumor tissues—a key determinant of response to radiation therapy.