SfN Council Provides Increased Support for Trainee Awards for Neuroscience 2018
WASHINGTON, DC — In order to grow the support provided to neuroscience trainees through its Trainee Professional Development Awards (TPDA), the Society for Neuroscience (SfN) Council has announced it will match up to $100,000 in individual donations given to the Friends of SfN Fund, along with a commitment of an additional $150,000 to match donor gifts of $25,000 or more. Additionally, the SfN Council will provide $100,000 to in direct support to the TPDA program, as it did in 2017. The total available funds for 2018 could be nearly $600,000, which represents a significant increase in funds for TPDAs over previous years and a strong commitment to the future leaders of neuroscience.
“SfN’s Council strongly believes that outstanding trainees deserve the opportunity to gain experience and to be recognized for their hard work without being deterred by financial obstacles,” SfN President Richard Huganir said. “Providing financial assistance for trainees to attend SfN’s annual meeting provides unparalleled research and professional development experiences, helping to establish connections that that further the work of trainees and the field at large.”
Trainee Professional Development Awards (TPDAs) provide young scientists the chance to attend the Neuroscience 2018 to present abstracts, as well as network with peers and leading neuroscientists. These early career opportunities and connections help trainees as they advance in their career. Each year, awards are presented to exceptional undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral fellows who have demonstrated scientific merit and distinction in their research. The application process is competitive, and recipients are selected based on the merit of their application. In 2017, SfN provided more than 200 awards to trainees from around the world, a 163% increase over 2016. SfN expects to increase the number of awards again this year.
The aim of the TPDA program is to advance the career training of neuroscientists from a wide range of institutions. SfN consistently seeks to promote gender equality and increase diversity in all forms throughout the field. Trainee SfN members from around the world are encouraged to apply for the TPDAs. “Mentors should encourage their trainees to apply, especially those mentors who have taken advantage of such an award or early career professional development experience themselves,” Huganir said.
Recipients of the TPDAs receive complimentary registration to attend Neuroscience 2018, held November 3-7 in San Diego, CA, with an additional $1,000 given to recipients based at North American institutions and $2,000 awarded to those at institutions outside of North America. The application period begins Monday, May 7 and is open through Monday, June 4. Visit www.sfn.org to apply.
The Society for Neuroscience (SfN) is an organization of nearly 36,000 basic scientists and clinicians who study the brain and nervous system.
