Early Career Impact Award

The Early Career Impact Award is presented to early career scientists of FABBS member societies (see FABBS membership) who are within ten years of completing their PhD and recognizes scientists who have made major contributions to our sciences.

The purpose of this award is to recognize scientists who have made major research contributions to the sciences of mind, brain, and behavior. The goal is to enhance public visibility of these sciences and the particular research through the dissemination efforts of FABBS in collaboration with the member societies and award winners. Nominations are encouraged for individuals who have made outstanding research contributions, especially those who have also increased awareness of science through outreach activities to the public (e.g., community talks, high school demos) or communication with the media (e.g., interviews, blogs).

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ELIGIBILITY

1. The award honors early career scientists for contributions during the first 10 years post-PhD.
2. The recipient of an award must be a member in good standing of one of the FABBS member societies (see FABBS membership). Researchers in the member societies who wish to be nominated or submit a self-nomination may contact the member society or their representative to the FABBS Council.

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NOMINATION AND DECISION PROCESS

FABBS member societies will seek nominations from their membership for the award. Drawing upon its expertise, each member society is asked to review the nominations (including self-nominations), with due consideration given to diversity in gender, ethnicity, methodology, sub-discipline, and so forth. For a list of current and former award winners, please go to our Early Career Awards webpage..

Once a candidate is selected, forward the information regarding the scientist and why she/he was chosen to FABBS using this submission form. The form should be sent to FABBS by Friday, October 6, 2023 for consideration in 2024. The award will be presented in the following calendar year.

The FABBS Board will review the submissions, announce the winners at the annual meeting in December, and will consider opportunities for public dissemination of the research on which the awards are based. FABBS will highlight the research through promotion of an interview with a science writer.

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ANNOUNCEMENT OF AWARD WITHIN MEMBER SOCIETIES

It is important that the member society prominently broadcasts the award among the society members, with due recognition to FABBS. The award will ideally be presented at an event attended by a large number of society members, such as a major plenary session at the society’s meeting. The member society’s web site needs to have links to its nomination process, the award recipients, and FABBS.

The award recipients will be presented a certificate that recognizes their achievement at a major event in the member society. The award will be presented by the FABBS Council Representative or President of the member society.

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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

How important is it for Nominees to have already increased awareness of science to the public through outreach activities or communication with the media? 

This criterion is not essential but is desired because it fits the mission of FABBS. FABBS acknowledges that member societies differ in the extent to which and how their respective memberships work to increase awareness of our sciences to the public.  For some societies, members routinely engage in outreach activities to the public (e.g., community talks, high school demos) or communication with the media (e.g., interviews, blogs). For other societies, there is a more intense focus on basic research that has an indirect or long-range impact on society. However, even for the latter societies, it is likely that the research can be articulated in a fashion that clarifies its benefit to society. FABBS will work with the member societies and award recipients to disseminate the research to public audiences.

How many awards will be given each year?

Each society in the rotation scheme will have one award recipient.

Who makes the final decision on whether a Nominee will receive the award?

The FABBS member society will make the final decision. The role of FABBS is to work with the member society and award winner to disseminate the research to the public.

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ROTATION OF AWARDS AMONG MEMBER SOCIETIES

A 3-year rotation scheme is followed so that all member societies of FABBS have equal representation of scientists who receive this award. An award will be given to one early career scientist in each member society that participates, using the rotation scheme below, which has been randomly determined:

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