SfN Awards and Prizes FAQs
TPDA and International Travel Awards Questions
Nominated Awards Questions
When do award nominations open?
Award nominations typically open in the early Spring. We suggest checking award pages in January to see if the dates have been updated.
When do award nominations close?
Award nominations typically close about six weeks after they open.
Who is eligible for the awards?
SfN awards are for scientists at all stages of their careers and for a variety of activities, such as research, mentoring, and outreach efforts. Specific eligibility requirements are listed on the individual award pages.
The Society represents scientists from around the world, and we encourage nominations from and of people from underrepresented backgrounds that reflect SfN's wide and diverse membership.
I'm not an SfN member. Can I still submit a nomination?
Yes, but your nomination must be endorsed by an SfN member. This endorsement must be entered on the award nomination submission site.
How do I submit a nomination if I'm not an SfN member?
You can follow the link on the nomination site login page to create a user account as a nonmember.
Can someone who is not an SfN member be nominated for an award?
With the exception of the Bernice Grafstein Award, the nominee does not need to be an SfN member to be eligible.
Can a person be nominated for more than one award in the same year?
Yes, although a person can only win one award per year.
Can a person be nominated for the same award more than once?
Yes, assuming that they continue to meet the eligibility requirements for that particular award.
Can more than one person submit documents for the same nomination?
Yes. Once an application has been started and saved, the nominator will receive an email with a control number and a link that are unique to that nomination. This number and link can be shared and used by others to access and upload additional documents. Once the application is complete, one person must click the submit button to officially release the information.
Who does SfN contact when a decision has been made?
SfN will contact nominators to notify them that a decision has been made. SfN will only contact nominees if they have been selected to receive an award.
When can I expect to be notified regarding the outcome of a nomination?
All award nominators should be notified no later than two months before the annual meeting.
Do all awards receive travel benefits?
Most awards receive travel benefits to the SfN annual meeting. The Janett Rosenberg Trubatch Career Development Award recipient does not receive travel benefits but receives complimentary registration. The Next Generation Award recipients receive a $750 travel stipend and complimentary registration. Please see the individual award pages for details.
TPDA and International Travel Awards Questions
How many types of travel awards are there?
SfN administers two types of travel awards: Trainee Professional Development Awards (to SfN’s annual meeting) and international travel awards (to meetings organized by other societies). Not every award is available every year; the FENS Forum Award is available every other year and the IBRO World Congress Award is available every four years.
What can the travel awards be used for?
Travel stipends can be used for anything related to attending the meeting, such as transportation or lodging.
When do travel award applications open?
Applications for CNS, JNS, FENS, and IBRO meetings open in the spring at least four months before their respective meeting.
Applications for TPDA open shortly after SfN annual meeting abstracts application period closes.
Please refer to the awards webpages for specific dates and times.
When do travel award applications close?
Applications for CNS, JNS, FENS, and IBRO travel awards typically close after three weeks.
Applications for TPDA typically close after two weeks.
Please refer to the awards webpages for specific dates and times.
If I have multiple physical addresses, which one should I use when filling out my TPDA application?
TPDA applicants should use the address that they will be traveling from at the time of the meeting.
My membership or abstract information is not auto-populating into my application. Who do I contact?
Verify that you are an active member and that your abstract has been submitted, keeping in mind that for the TPDA award you must be the primary presenter of the abstract. If you have verified the above, contact travelawards@sfn.org for international travel award assistance or tpda@sfn.org for TPDA application assistance.
Do travel award applicants need to be nominated by someone else for consideration?
No, travel award applicants do not need to be nominated by someone else for consideration, but TPDA applicants will need a letter of recommendation. Please see the award webpage for details.
What materials should TPDA applicants prepare in advance? Can applicants submit information in addition to or instead of the application components requested?
TPDA applicants should prepare a one-page letter of recommendation and 500-word essay along with their CV. See the TPDA page for specifics. Applications that are submitted with unrequested materials may be voided.
Can individuals apply for TPDA and international travel awards even if they will have completed their current program before the event?
Yes, applicants are considered eligible if they will be continuing their education after their current program. For TPDA applicants, this includes undergraduate, graduate, post-doctoral, or post-baccalaureate programs. The application should mention their educational plans.
What should applicants do if they need to book travel before they are notified of their award status?
Awardees should ensure that any travel arrangements made ahead of award notification are refundable in the event that they do not receive the award or need to transition to virtual attendance.
When will applicants be notified of their status?
TPDA applicants will be notified of their status by the end of August.
International travel award applicants will be notified of their status by late spring.
If my application is denied, can I receive feedback from the review committee?
No, the awards review process is closed, and we do not provide feedback to applicants. Committee selection deliberations are confidential.
I’ve been notified that I’ve received a TPDA but my institution says I cannot accept any funds. What should I do?
Verify with your department head and email tpda@sfn.org for assistance. Even if you are not able to accept the monetary portion of the award, you may still be able to accept the other benefits.
My institution is requiring a written letter verifying that I am a recipient of the award. Where do I get this from?
In most cases the institution will accept your notification email as proof of award receipt. If this does not suffice, please email tpda@sfn.org.
My institution would prefer to submit financial documents instead of me, what should I do?
Once you receive your acceptance email, you can provide your institution with the instructions for our secure document transfer platform.
Are travel award recipients required to attend the meeting in person?
In order to receive a travel stipend, travel award recipients must attend the meeting in person. However, awardees will also have the option of attending the virtual component of the meeting.
I cannot attend the meeting in person. Can I still receive the travel stipend?
No, only in-person meeting attendees may receive a travel stipend.
What should TPDA recipients do if their travel plans have changed?
Email tpda@sfn.org as soon as possible to check whether it is possible to change the type of attendance. It is easier to accommodate awardees moving from in-person to virtual attendance than from virtual to in-person attendance.
How do TPDA recipients receive their complimentary registration?
Award recipients will receive a link to register for the meeting once they have submitted their required documents. If they have already registered they will be refunded to the card they used to register.
When do travel award recipients receive their travel stipend?
TPDA recipients will be required to check in with attendee services during the annual meeting to verify their attendance, from there they should expect to receive the funds by the end of the annual meeting or in the month following the meeting. International travel award recipients will receive their travel stipend after submitting proof of attendance.
Will travel award recipients be asked to submit anything following the annual meeting?
TPDA recipients will be asked to complete a post-event survey.
International Travel Awards (CNS, JNS, FENS, IBRO) recipients will be required to submit their certificate of attendance.
Certificates of attendance can be obtained on-site at the annual meeting, typically at Attendee Services. Please see the annual meeting’s Program and Exhibit Guide for instructions and exact location.
Do I need to submit my expense receipts after the meeting?
While expense receipts do not need to be submitted at any time for TPDA or international travel awards, proof of attendance is still required to receive travel funds.
I have a question about SfN travel awards and taxes. Who do I ask for assistance?
Contact awards@sfn.org. Tax forms are mailed to awardees in the early months of the year following the annual meeting. Please note, SfN does not provide any tax advice and suggests you consult your institution or a tax professional.
What other professional development opportunities does TPDA offer aside from attending SfN’s annual meeting?
Throughout the year after the meeting award recipients will have access to curated professional development opportunities on Neuronline, SfN’s home for learning and discussion. If you have any difficulty accessing these online resources, please reach out totpda@sfn.org.
General Awards Questions
I am having trouble logging into the application submission site. What should I do?
Please confirm that you have entered the same email and password associated with your SfN membership account. If you have forgotten your password, click the link at the bottom of the page to reset it. If you still experience problems with logging in, send an email to awards@sfn.org.
I’ve logged in and I can’t find the award I’m looking for, where is it?
Check that you are still an active member at https://my.sfn.org/My-Account/My-Membership. If you paid your membership fee within the last year and aren’t listed as a member, contact memb@sfn.org for assistance.
Can I start an application and come back to it later to finish it?
Yes. Once an application has been started, it can be saved and edited as many times as needed. Once it is complete, simply click on the submit button to submit the application.
What should I do if I accidentally submit the application before I am done?
Email awards@sfn.org and a staff member will re-open the application for you to finish. All application materials are due by the award deadline, applications missing required materials after the deadline will not be considered.
How do recipients access their complimentary registration?
Award recipients will receive a unique registration link to their complimentary registration following notification of receipt of the award.
Will recipients be reimbursed for SfN annual meeting registration if they register in advance of award notification?
Yes, anyone who registers before receiving an award will receive a reimbursement.
