For the Brooklyn Tech community, this honor is especially meaningful. Dr. Abramson was the 2025 Commencement Speaker, the 1961 All-Tech Award recipient, and together with his father Jack Abramson ’32 and brothers Allan L. Abramson ’58 and Richard S. Abramson ’63, was recognized at the Brooklyn Tech Centennial Gala in 2022. A member of the Brooklyn Tech Hall of Fame, Dr. Abramson continues to exemplify the values of excellence and service instilled at Tech.

A Career of Visionary Impact

Born in New York in 1944, Abramson graduated from Brooklyn Tech in 1961 before attending Harvard University, where he captained the varsity swim team, became a four-time All-American, and graduated with a degree in Biology. He went on to earn his M.D. from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in 1969, later completing advanced training at Columbia University and the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology.

In 2004, Abramson became the founding chief of the Ophthalmic Oncology Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He is now a tenured professor in surgery, pediatrics, and radiation oncology at Sloan Kettering

Among his many groundbreaking contributions, Dr. Abramson is best known for pioneering intra-arterial chemotherapy, a treatment that delivers life-saving cancer drugs directly to the eye, curing children of retinoblastoma while preserving their vision and sparing them from enucleation. His work has revolutionized the treatment of ocular cancers worldwide and transformed outcomes for countless patients.

To date, he has published over 700 peer-reviewed articles in ophthalmology, trained generations of young physicians, and lectured globally on advances in ophthalmic oncology. His influence extends far beyond the lab and the operating room, touching the lives of patients and families around the world.

Words to the Next Generation

At Brooklyn Tech’s 2025 Commencement Ceremony, Dr. Abramson urged graduating seniors to stay curious, work with purpose, and remember that even the smallest acts of service can change lives:

“My hope is when you are my age you will look back and be able to say you helped make the world a better place. My suggestion? One way to do that is to promise yourself that every day you will do one thing to help someone else. If each of you does one selfless thing per day, by the time you are my age you will have done 33,945,000 good deeds."

His message of service resonates powerfully today, as his own life’s work exemplifies that very mission.

Recognition and Legacy

Dr. Abramson’s contributions have been recognized with some of the highest honors in medicine and vision science, including:

• Stallard Medal, International Society for Ocular Oncology
• Lifetime Achievement Award, American Academy of Ophthalmology
• Weisenfeld Award, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology
• Franceschetti Medal, International Society of Genetic Eye Disease in Switzerland

He is also a member of the Retina Hall of Fame, the Harvard Varsity Club Hall of Fame, and, of course, the Brooklyn Tech Hall of Fame (2019 inductee).

A Life Beyond Medicine

In addition to his distinguished medical career, Abramson is also an accomplished athlete. He was record-breaking captain of the Brooklyn Tech varsity swim team and between his junior and senior years was named an alternate to U.S. Olympic swim relay team. He won three gold medals in swimming at the 1961 Maccabiah Games in Israel, set four NCAA records as captain of the Harvard swim team. His achievements reflect a lifelong dedication to discipline, resilience, and excellence — qualities that have defined both his athletic and medical careers.

Carrying Forward a Family Legacy

Dr. Abramson’s achievements are part of a larger Abramson family legacy at Brooklyn Tech. His father, Jack Abramson ’32, and his brothers, Allan L. Abramson ’58 and Richard S. Abramson ’63, were all proud Technites. The family was honored by the Alumni Foundation at the Brooklyn Tech Centennial Gala in 2022, a testament to their shared impact and deep, long-lasting ties to the school.

Looking Ahead

As the 2026 Helen Keller Prize laureate, Dr. Abramson joins an elite group of scientists and physicians who have advanced the boundaries of vision research. His recognition is not only a celebration of his individual brilliance but also a reflection of the enduring spirit of Brooklyn Tech alumni who continue to change the world.