Awardees receive $100,000 (direct costs), in the form of a supplement to an existing NINDS grant, to support their efforts to foster the career advancement of additional trainees. NINDS hopes this tangible award will impress upon the scientific community as a whole, and faculty and institutional leaders in particular, the high value NINDS places on training and mentorship. Further, NINDS hopes that it encourages institutions to reward individuals not only for outstanding research accomplishments but also for their impact on the lives of others, and the future of neuroscience, through outstanding mentorship and training.
Selection for this award is based on first-hand knowledge of an individual’s influence as a mentor. Current or former trainees can nominate faculty members who served as their mentors, and nominees will then be invited to submit additional supporting information (note: faculty members should NOT solicit nominations for themselves or others who were not their direct mentors). Because outstanding mentors exist across career stages, NINDS will rotate annual requests for nominations for junior, mid-career, and senior faculty.