SSIB AWARDS

Career Awards | Travel Awards | Conference Awards

Career Awards

SSIB Career Awards are intended to honor the distinguished careers of those making significant contributions to the field of ingestive behavior. Nominations are solicted annually via email for each award. Nominations should be submitted via email to [email protected] by February 28, 2024.

Distinguished Career Award

Honors an individual for his or her accomplishments in, and contributions to, the understanding of ingestive behavior. The award is made to a senior investigator who has retired from his/her academic position, or will be retired by the time of the award. The Award consists of a plaque, a check for 1500 USD, Emeritus membership status, and an invitation to speak during the Awards Symposium at the Annual Meeting.

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Nominations must include a one-page description of the career accomplishments and their importance to the field, and a three-page vita of the nominee, and a 200 word biography. Nominations should be submitted via email to [email protected] by February 28, 2024.

Alan N. Epstein Research Award

The Alan N. Epstein Research Award is endowed by Professor Epstein’s family in his memory. Alan Epstein (1932-1992) was for many years a Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, a distinguished researcher in ingestive behavior and SSIB's 4th President. In keeping with Alan’s scientific vision, this award honors an individual for a specific research discovery that has advanced the understanding of ingestive behavior. Members of SSIB who are less than 16 years beyond the date of their highest degree are eligible. *Please note that due to hardships imposed by the pandemic, we have extended the eligibility window to 16 years from PhD at the time of submission. The Award consists of a plaque, a check for 750 USD, and an invitation to speak during the Awards Symposium at the SSIB Annual Meeting.

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Nominations must include a letter describing the research and its importance to the field, a list of up to five citations that document the research, a brief (3 page) curriculum vitae of the nominee, and a 200 word biography. The letter of nomination should emphasize the nominee's independent intellectual contribution. Additional letters in support of the nomination are welcome, but not required. Nominations should be submitted via email to [email protected] by February 28, 2024.

Hoebel Prize for Creativity

This Prize is intended to honor a SSIB member, at any stage of their career, for an exceptional level of creativity and excellence in his or her research on ingestive behavior. This research should constitute a significant advance in our understanding of mechanisms controlling ingestive behavior and have the potential of benefiting society by elucidating methods for treating or preventing disorders of ingestive behavior. The Prize consists of a plaque, a check for 750 USD, and an invitation for the awardee to speak at the Annual SSIB Meeting.

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Nominations must include a curriculum vita (maximum of three pages), a one-page description of the nominee’s research indicating why it is creative and how it will benefit society, and a 200 word biography. Nominations should be submitted via email to [email protected] by February 28, 2024.


Conference Awards

SSIB Conference Awards are intended to honor outstanding presentations at the annual SSIB meeting. Check the appropriate box when submitting your abstract to apply for any of these awards.

Gerard P. Smith Award

Established by an anonymous donor, this award honors Dr. Gerard Smith for his mentoring of young scientists and his research on the controls of meal size, especially the satiating effect of peptide hormones from the gastrointestinal tract. The award is given for the best short oral presentation at the annual meeting by a graduate student in each of the Track 1 and Track 2 research categories.

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Timothy J. Bartness Award

This endowed award honors Dr. Timothy J. Bartness who was a Regent's Professor of Biology at Georgia State University and an eminent researcher of the neural control of adipose tissue, obesity and ingestive behaviour. He was a past-president of Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior (2008-2009) and an ardent champion of early career investigators. In keeping with his tireless advocacy for junior scientists and dedication to mentorship, this award is given for the best oral presentation at the annual meeting by a junior faculty member. Members of SSIB who are less than 10 years beyond the date of their highest degree and more than two years into their first faculty position are eligible. The Award consists of a certificate and a check for 750 USD.

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Harry R. Kissileff Award

This award is named in honor of Dr. Harry Kissileff as founding president of Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior (1987). The award is given for the best short oral presentation at the annual meeting by a post-doctoral fellow in each of the Track 1 and Track 2 research categories. The Award consists of a check for 500 USD.

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Best Poster Presentation Award

One award will be given for each track 1 and track 2 research categories. Graduate students and post-docs are eligible.

Past Awardees:
2023 Sophia Eikenberry, University of Florida - United States
2023 Zach Hutelin, Virginia Tech - United States
2022 Rachel Donka, University of Illinois Chicago - United States
2022 Evelyn Medawar, MPI CBS, Germany
2021 Dong-Yoon Kim, Seoul National University, South Korea
2021 Leonardo Pimpini, Maastricht University, Netherlands
2019 Carolina Cawthon, University of Georgia
2019 Menna Price, Swansea University
2018 Caitlyn Edwards, Florida State University
2018 Faris Zuraikat, Pennsylvania State University
2017 Rachel Hardy, Oklahoma State University
2017 Jung Eun Han, Montreal Neurological Institute
2016 Anne-Charlotte Jarry, Université Sorbonne Paris Cité
2016 Keri McCrickerd, A*Star
2015 Gretha Boersma, Johns Hopkins University
2015 Selin Neseliler, Montreal Neurological Institute


Travel Awards

SSIB Travel Awards support the attendance of students and post-doctoral fellows at the annual SSIB conference each year. Check the appropriate box when submitting your abstract to apply for a travel award.

New Investigator Travel Award

Travel awards are available for students and postdoctoral fellows (until five years after receiving doctoral degree). These awards are competitive, and are made based on scientific merit and abstract quality, as assessed by the NITA selection committee. Applications for Travel Awards must be made on line at the time of abstract submission, and applicants must indicate their willingness to make an oral presentation of there submitted work during the annual meeting. “Poster Only” submissions will not be considered for Travel Awards. Finally, only one abstract from each applicant will be eligible for NITA consideration. Applicants submitting more than one abstract for presentation during the annual meeting, must specify which one they wish to have considered for a NITA. Award winners will be recognized in the Annual Meeting Program and at the annual meeting banquet. Some award-recipients will present their work during the NITA Symposium, while additional NITA awardees will present their work in other topically appropriate platform sessions at the annual meeting.

Eligibility: Pre-doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows for whom no more than five years have elapsed since earning the doctoral degree may apply for Travel Awards. However, individuals will be eligible to receive a NITA only once as a pre-doctoral student and once again following receipt of their doctoral degree. Thus, an individual may receive no more than two NITAs. For purposes of future eligibility, recipients of the Collier or Sakai Travel Awards are considered to be NITA recipients. Note that both NITA applicants and their research mentors must be SSIB members at the time applications are submitted.

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George H. Collier New Investigator Travel Award

This award honors Dr. George H. Collier for his contributions to ingestive behavior research and his commitment to promoting the careers of new scientists. Dr. Collier's research was broadly related to environmental and cognitive influences on eating behavior and body weight. His work was influential in bringing to the fore the richness of the factors that influence eating behavior. He was a rare individual, an outstanding teacher, research mentor, outdoorsman, friend and colleague. George was one of the founding members of the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior and in 1997 received the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior’s Distinguished Career Award.

Eligibility criteria for the George H. Collier New Investigator Award are the same as for the NITA, except that the Collier New Investigator Award is made to a graduate student or post-doctoral fellow whom the selection committee deems to be working in an area related to Dr. Collier's research interests. The George H. Collier New Investigator Travel Award recipient is selected from the pool of NITA applicants by the NITA Selection Committee. With regard to past and subsequent award eligibility, recipients of the Collier Award are considered to have received a NITA.

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Randall R. Sakai New Investigator Travel Award

This award honors Dr. Randall R. Sakai for his dedicated mentoring of students and post-doctoral fellows. Dr. Sakai’s research was broadly related the neuroendocrine control of behavior and physiology. He made influential contributions to a variety of research areas including salt appetite and fluid balance, the effects of acute and chronic stress on metabolic and mental health outcomes, and developmental influences on brain and behavior. Dr. Sakai provided invaluable service to the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior, having served on the Board of Directors (1999-2002) and as the Director of Nominations (2001-2003). He was also the recipient of the inaugural Alan N. Epstein Research Award.

Eligibility criteria for the Randal R. Sakai New Investigator Award are the same as for the NITA, except that the Sakai New Investigator Award is made to a graduate student or post-doctoral fellow whom the selection committee deems to be working in an area related to Dr. Sakai's research interests. The Randall R. Sakai New Investigator Travel Award recipient is selected from the pool of NITA applicants by the NITA Selection Committee. With regard to past and subsequent award eligibility, recipients of the Sakai Award are considered to have received a NITA.

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