Nemko Prize in Cellular or Molecular Neuroscience

The Nemko Prize in Cellular or Molecular Neuroscience, supported by The Nemko Family, recognizes a young neuroscientist's outstanding PhD thesis advancing understanding of molecular, genetic, or cellular mechanisms underlying higher brain function and cognition.

Recipients receive a $2,500 prize and complimentary registration, transportation (economy air or ground), and two nights hotel accommodations for the SfN annual meeting. The SfN president presents the prize at a lecture at the meeting.

For more information, please review the Awards and Funding FAQs.

Nomination Criteria & Materials

Nomination Criteria:

• Self-nomination is not permitted.
• Nominees do not need to be SfN members.
• Nominations must be made or endorsed by an SfN member.
• No person may nominate more than one candidate.
• Current SfN officers and councilors are ineligible for nomination.
• Due to potential conflicts of interest, members of the selection committee may not be the nominees, and they cannot serve as nominators nor write letters of recommendation for this prize.

Nomination materials include the following:

• One nomination letter from the nominee's PhD mentor(s). No additional letters will be accepted.
• Four- to six-page (typed, double-spaced) thesis abstract with names and departmental affiliations of thesis committee members
• List of attributions explaining (in the case of collaborative work) which were the contributions of the nominee compared to his/her co-workers.
• Current CV (include date of thesis defense)

All nomination materials must be in English, including full theses if invited for the second round review. For nominees with theses in a language other than English, the selection committee will accept an extended abstract and peer-reviewed publication, both written in English.

Eligibility

Nominees must have a thesis submitted and approved between January 1 and December 31 of the preceding calendar year.

Past Awardees

• 2021: David Tingley, PhD
• 2020: William Allen, PhD and Ashley Lepack, PhD
• 2019: Lauren Mackenzie Reynolds, PhD
• 2018: William Muñoz, PhD
• 2017: Katrin Franke, PhD
• 2016: Sebnem Tuncdemir, PhD
• 2015: Joshua Levitz, PhD
• 2014: Steffen Benjamin Eggert Wolff, PhD
• 2013: Shigeki Watanabe, PhD