Trainee Award: Trainee Paper Award

NOMINATION DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 15

Recognizing High-Impact and Exceptional Quality Publications from Trainees

BSC Trainee Paper Award

The BSC recognizes the achievements of undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral trainees in biophysics through the Trainee Paper Award (TPA). Recipients are current or recent undergraduate, graduate, or postdoc at a Canadian University, who are leading authors on a research paper of an exceptional quality, originality, and impact in any subfield of biophysics.

2024

Aaron Lyons

“Quantifying the properties of nonproductive attempts at thermally activated energy-barrier crossing through direct observation”

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2021

Greg Gomes

“Conformational ensembles of an intrinsically disordered protein consistent with NMR, SAXS, and single-molecule FRET”

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Nomination

Eligibility:

  • The nominee must be a current or recent (within one year from finishing their term at the time of the nomination) undergraduate, graduate, or postdoctoral trainee at a Canadian university, in any subfield of biophysics
  • The nominee has to play a leading role in the nominated paper
  • The paper should be published or in press (DOI required) within the calendar year (Jan. 01– Dec. 31) preceding the nomination

Nomination Process: The TPA nomination must be made by the nominee’s undergraduate, graduate, or postdoctoral supervisor (or co-supervisor). Submit a nomination of deserving candidates for the TPA by emailing a nomination package to the BSC Awards Committee by the deadline. Complete nomination packages must be sent to Trushar Patel, chair of the Awards Committee. Only nominations received by the deadline will be reviewed and ranked through votes by the executives of the Biophysical Society of Canada. Nominations in all areas of biophysics are welcome. The nomination package must include:

  • A cover letter from the nominator (the supervisor or co-supervisor) describing the impact and originality of the nominated paper, as well detailing the contributions of the nominee to the work (2 pages maximum)
  • A PDF copy of the nominated paper
  • One supporting letter from an arm’s length external expert in the field OR a reviewer’s report for the paper explaining its outstanding qualities

Adjudication & Presentation: The TPA recipients are chosen by the Awards Committee, based on the following selection criteria:

  • Scientific excellence and originality of the paper, as judged from the paper itself, as well as the nomination letter and the supporting letter
  • Leadership of the nominee, as judged from their role in conceptualization, experimental design, paper writing, and collaboration development (if applicable)
  • Impact and potential impact of the paper, as judged from the referees’ reports, any scientific references thus far, media attention, conference and seminar presentations, and knowledge translation (if applicable)

The TPA winners are recognized at the Annual meeting of the Biophysical Society of Canada and are given a prize of $300. Up to two awards per year will be offered. The Biophysical Society of Canada is committed to upholding the principles of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, and will apply these principles to adjudication of this award.