Fellowships, Awards & Prizes

Award Categories
SfN sponsors and supports career advancement opportunities in the following areas:

• Fellowships
• Travel Awards
• Scientific Achievement Awards and Prizes
• Science Education and Outreach Awards
• Special Recognition Awards

See fellowship, award, and prize deadlines

Fellowships
Training programs for neuroscience students:

• Neuroscience Scholars Program
  Supported by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
  Three-year fellowship for undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral minority students in neuroscience which provides SfN annual meeting travel assistance, funds for enrichment opportunities, SfN meeting and membership benefits, and mentoring.   
  
  
• International Fellowships to Marine Biological/Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories
  Admission to summer neuroscience courses at the MBL in Woods Hole, Massachusetts and the CSHL in Cold Spring Harbor, New York for research trainees from resource-limited countries.
  
  
• SfN/Ricardo Miledi Neuroscience Training Program
  Supported by The Grass Foundation
  Training program for Latin American and Caribbean neuroscience graduate students. 

Back to top

Travel Awards
Financial assistance for travels costs associated with SfN's annual meeting and other neuroscience-related meetings:

• Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Fellow Travel Awards 
  Graduate Student Awards Supported by Eli Lilly & Co. 
  Postdoctoral Fellow Travel Awards Supported by the Burroughs Wellcome Fund
  Financial support for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows presenting abstracts at SfN's annual meeting.  
    
  
• Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Fellow Chapters Travel Awards
  Graduate Student Travel Awards Supported by Eli Lilly & Co.
  Chapter Travel Awards provide a stipend covering annual meeting travel expenses for students nominated by their local SfN chapters. 
  
  
• SfN-IBRO International Travel Awards
  The SfN International Affairs Committee/US-Canada Regional Committee for IBRO supports this award for promising young neuroscientists from lower and middle-income countries to attend the Society's Annual Meeting.
  
  
• Chapter Travel Awards for FENS Forum and IBRO World Congress
  Supports participation of graduate students from the United States, Canada, and Mexico at the FENS Forum and IBRO World Congress.
  
  
• Science Journalism Student Award
  Helps science journalism students cover costs associated with attending the Society's Annual Meeting.

Back to top

Scientific Achievement Awards and Prizes
Accolades recognizing scientific achievement in various branches of the neuroscience field:

• Julius Axelrod Prize
  Supported by Eli Lilly & Co.
  Honors a scientist with achievements in neuropharmacology or a related area and exemplary efforts mentoring young scientists.  
  
  
• Career Development Award
  Supported by Merck and Co., Inc. 
  Recognizes achievement and promise in neuroscience for early career professionals.
  
  
• Ralph W. Gerard Prize in Neuroscience
  Supported by Eli Lilly & Co.
  Given for recognition of outstanding contributions to neuroscience research; Requires nomination by colleagues.   
  
  
• Patricia Goldman-Rakic Hall of Honor
  Recognizes a deceased neuroscientist with outstanding career achievements who promoted the advancement of women in neuroscience.
  
  
• Peter and Patricia Gruber Foundation Neuroscience Prize
  Honors distinguished work in the field of the brain, nervous system and the spinal cord.
  
  
• Peter and Patricia Gruber International Research Award in Neuroscience
  Supported by the Peter and Patricia Gruber Foundation
  Recognizes a young scientist who has demonstrated and continues to exhibit ongoing international collaboration based on the best science; allows young neuroscientists of all nationalities to pursue education and research at a center of excellence in their field.   
  
  
• Donald B. Lindsley Prize in Behavioral Neuroscience
  Supported by The Grass Foundation
  Recognizes meritorious research in behavioral neuroscience; presented for outstanding Ph.D. thesis in behavioral neuroscience.   
  
  
• Louise Hanson Marshall Special Recognition Award
  Recognizes an individual for significant contributions to promoting the professional advancement of women and to the field of neuroscience through teaching, public advocacy, and organizational leadership.
  
  
• Research Awards for Innovation in Neuroscience (RAIN)
  Supported by Astellas USA Foundation
  Honors innovative research advancing novel ideas with potential to generate significant breakthroughs in neuroscience.  
  
  
• Mika Salpeter Lifetime Achievement Award
  Recognizes an individual with outstanding career achievements in neuroscience who has also significantly promoted the professional advancement of women in neuroscience.
  
  
• Bernice Grafstein Award for Outstanding Accomplishments in Mentoring
  Recognizes individuals who are dedicated to promoting women's advancement in the field of neuroscience. Specifically, individuals who have shown an unusual dedication to mentoring women neuroscientists and to facilitating their entry or retention in the field.
  
  
• Swartz Prize for Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience
  Supported by the Swartz Foundation
  Honors individuals, who, over a period of time, have made significant contributions or advances in theoretical and computational neuroscience.
  
  
• Jacob P. Waletzky Award 
  Supported by The Waletzky Family
  Recognizes a scientist who has researched or plans to research in the area of substance abuse and the brain and nervous system.
  
  
• Young Investigator Award
  Supported by AstraZeneca
  Recognizes outstanding achievements of a young neuroscientist who has received an advanced professional degree within the past 10 years.  

Back to top

Science Education and Outreach Awards
Awards recognizing individuals who increase neuroscience awareness through teaching:

• Award for Education in Neuroscience
  Presented to individuals in recognition of their significant contributions to research and education, and for their distinguished career in neuroscience.
  
  
• Science Educator Award
  Presented to an outstanding neuroscientist who has made significant contributions to educating the public about neuroscience.
  
  
• Next Generation Award
  Recognizes a predoctoral or postdoctoral trainee and junior faculty member nominated by an SfN chapter for outstanding contributions to public communication, outreach, and education about neuroscience; also includes recognition for the chapter.

Back to top

The Society occasionally recognizes organizations and individuals for efforts and achievements that contribute to advancing the mission and goals of SfN through distinguished service or by championing greater public awareness and increased funding for biomedical research.

• Public Advocacy Award
  Recognizes public advocacy efforts advancing neuroscience.
  
  
• Public Service Awards
  Recognizes public figures who have raised awareness of neuroscience issues and proven loyal supporters of biomedical research.
  
  
• Special Achievement Award
  Honors exceptional, unprecedented achievement in advancing the cause of neuroscience.
  
  
• Congressional Official Awards
  Awards honoring congressional representatives and staff.

Back to top

Deadlines

Back to top