Our prizes

*NEW* Sieratzki UK-Israel Prize for Advances in Neuroscience

We are excited to announce the launch of this new prize to recognise post graduate and early career neuroscientists, working in the UK and in Israel, for the high calibre of their neuroscience research. 

General Information

The British Neuroscience Association (BNA) and the Israel Society for Neuroscience (ISFN) have partnered to create a prestigious Prize for Advances in Neuroscience which will encourage outstanding young scientists and forge international research collaboration.

The Prize is awarded to two UK and two Israeli scientists in alternate academic years and in two categories:

• The Young Researcher’s Prize
  Awarded to outstanding PostDocs/Junior Academics who are up to 4 years post PhD (one winner from the UK and one from Israel).
• The Early Career Researcher’s Prize
  Awarded to outstanding PostDocs/Junior Academics from 4 to 8 years post PhD (one winner from the UK and one from Israel)

The Prize will be launched at the 2017 Meeting of the ISFN which will be held on 10 – 12 December 2017 in Eilat. Exceptionally, on this occasion of the launch, Prizes will be given to both UK and Israeli applicants at the same meeting.

In future years, the Prize will be given to UK winners at the ISFN meeting (next in December 2018 in Eilat) and to Israeli winners at the bi-annual BNA Festival (next in April 2019 in Dublin).

The Prize is sponsored by the Sieratzki Family.

The Award

• The Young Researcher’s Prizes have a financial award of USD $3500 
• The Early Career Researcher’s Prizes have a financial award of USD $5000.

In addition to this, awardees will be given a bursary of USD $1,250 to support one week’s travel in either the UK or Israel, and give a presentation at the country’s national neuroscience society meeting. 

Eligibility

• Applicants must be formally affiliated with an Israeli or a British research institution and have done a major part of their research work at an Israeli or a British research institution.
• Due consideration is given to British and Israeli scientists currently working abroad who are in the process to return to an Israeli or a British research institution.  
• Applicants must be working in the field of neuroscience. This includes but is not limited to the study of the nervous system from molecular, cellular, developmental, structural, functional, evolutionary, computational, behavioural, and medical viewpoints.  Applications from clinician researchers are welcome.
• Candidates for the Young Researcher’s Award, must have successfully completed their PhD^† not more than four years before the date of application. Candidates for the Early Career Researcher’s Award must have successfully completed their PhD no less than four years and not more than eight years before the date of application.
• Multiple applications from laboratories / departments / institutions are acceptable; however individuals may submit only one application at a time.
• Successful applicants will have already made a significant impact in their field of Neuroscience. 
• Successful applicants must be willing to travel to the partnering country and present at their meetings, unless there are exceptional circumstances preventing travel.
• These are one-time awards; a recipient of either the Young Researcher’s or Early Career Researcher’s Award is not eligible for either award in subsequent years.  

† Where the completion date of PhD means the date indicated in the PhD letter of approval (Israel) or the date of a successful PhD viva voce (UK).

Application Process

Deadline for applications: midnight 15th October 2017 (BST)

All applicants are assessed by a rigorous academic selection process overseen by senior researchers at the BNA and the ISFN. To apply, please read through all the eligibility critera and then please complete and send the following documents to sieratzkiprize@bna.org.uk by 15th October 2017:

1. Application form (click to download)
2. A research statement (max 1000 words)
3. A curriculum vitae
4. A short list of up to 5 most important publications, with brief summary describing the significance of the research for the field
5. Two letters of recommendation

Further information

The scheme is a collaboration of the BNA, the ISFN, the Sieratzki Family, UK Science & Innovation Network and the British Council. More information about the BNA and the ISFN can be found at:

• www.bna.org.uk
• www.isfn.org.il

Contact

For any questions regarding the Prize, please contact sieratzkiprize@bna.org.uk, +44 7584 01627.

BNA Award for Outstanding Contribution to Neuroscience

This is the most prestigious of the BNA's awards.

Any member of the BNA can make a nomination for the BNA Outstanding Contribution to Neuroscience Award.  Candidates need not be members of the BNA, but nominations must be made and supported by BNA members.

Nominations should be sent by email to office@bna.org.uk by 31st October each year.  These should make a case for why the nominee should be recognised for their work in neuroscience.  If you have any questions please contact the BNA office. 

Past Winners

BNA Award for Public Engagement of Neuroscience

Any member of the BNA can make a nomination for the BNA award for public engagement.  Candidates need not be members of the BNA, but nominations must be made and supported by BNA members.

Nominations should be sent by email to office@bna.org.uk by 31st October each year.  These should make a case for why the nominee should be recognised for their work, in any capacity, in the field of public engagement in neuroscience. 

Past prize winners

BNA Undergraduate and Postgraduate Prizes

Each year, the BNA awards an undergraduate (£250) and a postgraduate (£500) prize to student BNA members. Our prize winners often, if not always, go on to be highly successful in their chosen fields, playing a leading role in neuroscience. 

Applicants for both postgraduate and undergraduate prizes must be current BNA members. All nominations should be sent by email to office@bna.org.uk by 31st October each year. We encourage you to nominate your students! 

The specific requirements for applicants can be found under the 'For members' section of the website.  Please get in touch with any questions. 

BNA Undergraduate and Postgraduate Prize Winners