In 2011, Dr. Dawsey received the NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein Mentoring Award for "exemplary performance while demonstrating significant leadership, skill, and ability in serving as a mentor." In 2018, he received the 2018 DCEG Exemplary Service Award in honor of his outstanding research on esophageal and gastric cancer.

Research Interests
Prevention and control of esophageal and gastric cancers
Etiologic studies of esophageal and gastric cancers, especially in high-risk populations
Developing clinically useful techniques for the early detection and treatment of esophageal and gastric cancers
Member of the African Esophageal Cancer Consortium (AfrECC)