Career Development Award

Supported by Merck & Co., Inc.

Background
Candidates for the Career Development Award are judged on achievement and promise in fields within the purview and interest of SfN. "Achievement" means that the candidate has already published substantial contributions to science; "promise" means that the candidate shows indications of leadership in ideas, organization, or in other ways manifest for colleagues within the scientific community.

The award includes complimentary SfN annual meeting registration and a monetary prize of $2,000. Two awards are available each year.

Eligibility
Candidates who have received university tenure by the nomination deadline are not eligible. A candidate with a PhD or equivalent degree is eligible until (s)he completes 10 years of full-time work following the degree. A candidate with a baccalaureate degree, but without a PhD, has 12 years of eligibility. Time taken off for child rearing does not count in these totals. Part-time work and other special circumstances are evaluated at the discretion of the committee. Candidates working in non-academic environments are eligible if their work is published, meets academic standards, and they do not have tenure equivalency.  The award is open to both men and women.

Nominations must be made or endorsed by an SfN member.  If the nominator is not an SfN member, the nomination package must include a letter of endorsement from a current Society member.  Due to potential conflicts of interest, members of the Achievement Awards Selection Committee cannot serve as nominators. Nominees do not have to be SfN members. Self-nomination is permitted.

Application Information 
Please the following application materials to awards@sfn.org. Please include the words"Career Development Award" in the subject line.

• NIH Biosketch style curriculum vitae 
• Summary of past, present, and future research (2 pages)

Past Recipients

• Raphael Pinaud (2009)
• Christopher Pittenger (2009)
• Tracy Bale, PhD (2008)
• Alison Barth, PhD (2008)
• Adrienne Fairhall, PhD (2007)
• Suzanne Paradis, PhD (2007)
• Qin Shen, PhD (2006)
• Yi Zuo, PhD (2006)
• Laura Bohn, PhD (2005)