Honorific Awards

Award Information

• Julius Axelrod Mentorship Award

  The American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP) presents the Julius Axelrod Mentorship Award to an ACNP member who has made an outstanding contribution to neuropsychopharmacology by mentoring and developing young scientists into leaders in the field. The Award consists of a monetary award and a plaque to be given during the Annual Meeting. The award winner must attend the Annual Meeting.  Nomination of women and individuals from historically excluded groups is highly encouraged.

  Any scientist may nominate an ACNP member for this award by submitting the following to the Awards Committee:

  1. The one-page nominating letter should address the following points:
     • How long have you known the candidate and in what capacity?
     • Describe the scope of candidate’s mentoring activity (e.g., type of mentees, type of setting for mentoring.
     • What sets this candidate apart as a mentor?
     • Comment on impact of candidate’s mentoring activity on their field.
     • Rank candidate compared to other mentors you have known at similar career stage (top 1, 5, 10%, etc.)
  2. NIH style bio sketch or equivalent (no more than five pages)
  3. Personal statement written to summarize most significant mentoring contributions
  4. Required Metrics:
     • Candidate’s contribution to Training Grants
     • Broader initiatives related to mentorship, training, other career advancement mechanisms
     • Other mentoring activities not captured by the above questions
  5. Letters of support (one-page) from up to three scientists who have been mentored by the candidate.

   

   

  *Previous winners of the Dolores Shockley Diversity & Inclusion Advancement Award are not eligible.

  Click here to view previous Julius Axelrod Mentorship award winners.

  Click here to view previous Dolores Shockley Diversity and Inclusion Advancement award winners.

  Please click here to submit a nomination.

• Daniel H. Efron Research Award

  The American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP) presents the Efron Award to an individual on the basis of outstanding basic research contributions to neuropsychopharmacology.  The selection of the awardee is based on the quality of the contributions and their impact in advancing neuropsychopharmacology.  Award recipients will receive a monetary award and a plaque to be given at the ACNP Annual Meeting. Award recipients who are not members of the ACNP may also be reimbursed for their expenses to attend the Annual Meeting.  The Award winner must attend the Annual Meeting. 

  Any scientist, worldwide, may nominate an individual for this award by submitting to the Awards Committee the following items:

  1. The one-page nominating letter should address the following points:
     • How long have you known the candidate and in what capacity?
     • Describe contribution of candidate to their field, focusing on contributions as an independent investigator.
     • Describe impact of this contribution on the field.
     • Rank candidate compared to others you have known at similar career stage (top 1, 5, 10%, etc.)
  2. NIH style bio sketch or equivalent (no more than five pages). *Nominees to list ongoing and recently completed grants/projects that they would like to highlight in their biosketch or equivalent.
  3. Personal statement written to explain cumalative, integrated impact of the candidate’s body of work. 
  4. OPTIONAL Text Field: Any additional metrics not included in the biosketch.

  *Nominators will ask the nominee to provide their Biosketch and assist with compiling the required metrics.  Individuals who believe that they meet the qualifications for the award are encouraged to request a nomination from a qualified scientist.  Note: neither the nominee nor the nominator is required to be an ACNP member. 

  The recipient of the Efron Research Award must be within fifteen (15) years of their terminal training position as of December 31^st of the current year (i.e., post-doctoral training; residency or fellowship training for M.D.’s who did not do post-doctoral training).  Nominees can request extensions based on work interruptions due to parental leave, dependent care, illness, or other extenuating circumstances. Recipients who have had a significant life event may include background information in their nomination about the life event for the committee to consider (e.g., birth of a child, childcare, illness of individual, care for an ill family member, personal or family tragedy, etc.). They do not need to be a member of the ACNP or a citizen of the United States. Nomination of women and individuals from historically excluded groups is highly encouraged.

  Click here to view previous award winners.

  Please click here to submit a nomination.

• Joel Elkes Research Award

  The American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP) presents the Joel Elkes Research Award to an individual in recognition of an outstanding clinical contribution to neuropsychopharmacology.  Of particular interest in selecting the awardee are contributions that further our understanding of self-regulatory processes as they affect mental function and behavior in disease and well-being.  Award recipients will receive a monetary award and a plaque to be given at the ACNP Annual Meeting. Award recipients who are not members of the ACNP may also be reimbursed for their expenses to attend the Annual Meeting.  The award winner must attend the Annual Meeting.

  Any scientist, worldwide, may nominate an individual for this award by submitting to the Awards Committee:

  1. The one-page nominating letter should address the following points:
     • How long have you known the candidate and in what capacity?
     • Describe contribution of candidate to their field, focusing on contributions as an independent investigator.
     • Describe impact of this contribution on the field.
     • Rank candidate compared to others you have known at similar career stage (top 1, 5, 10%, etc.)
  2. NIH style bio sketch or equivalent (no more than five pages). *Nominees to list ongoing and recently completed grants/projects that they would like to highlight in their biosketch or equivalent. 
  3. Personal statment to explain cumulative, integrated impact of the candidate’s body of work.
  4. OPTIONAL Text Field: Any additional metrics not included in the biosketch.

   

  *Nominators will ask the nominee to provide their Biosketch and assist with compiling the required metrics.  Individuals who believe that they meet the qualifications for the award are encouraged to request a nomination from a qualified scientist.  Note: neither the nominee nor the nominator is required to be an ACNP member. 

  The recipient of the Elkes Research Award must be within fifteen (15) years of their terminal training position as of December 31^st of the current year (i.e., post-doctoral training; residency or fellowship training for M.D.’s who did not do post-doctoral training).  Nominees can request extensions based on work interruptions due to parental leave, dependent care, illness, or other extenuating circumstances. Recipients who have had a significant life event may include background information in their nomination about the life event for the committee to consider (e.g., birth of a child, childcare, illness of individual, care for an ill family member, personal or family tragedy, etc.).  They do not need to be a member of the ACNP or a citizen of the United States. Nomination of women and individuals from historically excluded groups is highly encouraged.

  Click here to view previous award winners. 

  Please click here to submit a nomination.

• Barbara Fish Memorial Award

  The American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP) presents the Barbara Fish Memorial Award to an ACNP member who has made an outstanding contribution to basic, translational, or clinical neuroscience. The award is named in honor of Dr. Barbara Fish, a pioneering researcher who was a founding member of ACNP. The award is open to all full and emeritus ACNP members; the nominator must also be an ACNP member. The selection of the nominee is based on a mature body of work, notable for its impact, innovation, and depth. The body of work should further the mission of the College by advancing the understanding of causes, prevention, and treatment of diseases of the nervous system. Award recipients will receive a monetary award and a plaque to be given at the ACNP Annual Meeting. The award winner must attend the Annual Meeting. 

  1. The two-page nominating letter should address the following points:
     • How long have you known the candidate and in what capacity?
     • Describe contribution of candidate to their field, focusing on impact, innovation, depth, and maturity of the work.
  2. NIH style bio sketch or equivalent (no more than five pages). *Nominees to list ongoing and recently completed grants/projects that they would like to highlight in their biosketch or equivalent.
  3. Personal statement written to explain cumulative, integrated impact of the candidate’s body of work.
  4. OPTIONAL Text Field: Any additional metrics not included in the biosketch.

   

  *Nominators will ask the nominee to provide their Biosketch and assist with compiling the required metrics.  Individuals who believe that they meet the qualifications for the award are encouraged to request a nomination from an ACNP member.  Nomination of women and individuals from historically excluded groups is highly encouraged.

  Click here to view previous award winners.

  Please click here to submit a nomination.

• Paul Hoch Distinguished Service Award

  The Paul Hoch Distinguished Service Award is presented by the ACNP when a member has made unusually significant contributions to the College.  The emphasis of this award is on service to the College—not for teaching, clinical, or research accomplishment.  Recipients of the Hoch Award will receive a monetary award and a plaque to be given at the Annual Meeting. Nomination of women and individuals from historically excluded groups is highly encouraged.

  Any Member or Fellow of the ACNP may submit the name of a member to receive the Hoch Award by submitting the following:

  1. One-page nomination letter addressing the transformative and/or significant contribution(s) this member has made to the College.
  2. NIH style bio sketch or equivalent (no more than five pages).
  3. The Executive Office will provide the nominee’s Activity Sheet which will detail:
     • Committees/task forces they have volunteered for or served on
     • Leadership positions in the College
     • How many times they have been asked and reviewed for NPP
     • Annual meetings they have attended
     • How many times they have mentored or volunteered to mentor during the annual meetings

   

  Click here to view previous award winners.

  Please click here to submit a nomination.

• Eva King Killam Research Award

  The American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP) presents the Eva King Killam Research Award to an individual on the basis of outstanding translational research contributions to neuropsychopharmacology. The nominee’s research should contribute to translating between basic science and human investigations. The selection of the awardee is based on the quality of the contribution and its impact in advancing neuropsychopharmacology. Award recipients will receive a monetary award and a plaque to be given at the ACNP Annual Meeting. Award recipients who are not members of the ACNP may also be reimbursed for their expenses to attend the Annual Meeting. The Award winner must attend the Annual Meeting.

  This award was first given in 2011 and is named after Eva King Killam, who served as the first woman President of the ACNP in 1988. 

  Any scientist, worldwide, may nominate an eligible individual for this award by submitting to the Awards Committee: 

  1. The one-page nominating letter should address the following points:
     • How long have you known the candidate and in what capacity?
     • Describe contribution of candidate to their field, focusing on contributions as an independent investigator.
     • Describe impact of this contribution on the field.
     • Rank candidate compared to others you have known at similar career stage (top 1, 5, 10%, etc.)
  2. NIH style bio sketch or equivalent (no more than five pages). *Nominees to list ongoing and recently completed grants/projects that they would like to highlight in their biosketch or equivalent.
  3. Personal statement written to explain cumulative, integrated impact of the candidate’s body of work. 
  4. OPTIONAL Text Field: Any additional metrics not included in the biosketch.

   

  *Nominators will ask the nominee to provide their Biosketch and assist with compiling the required metrics.  Individuals who believe that they meet the qualifications for the award are encouraged to request a nomination from a qualified scientist.  Note: neither the nominee nor the nominator is required to be an ACNP member.
  

  The recipient of the Eva King Killam Research Award must be within fifteen (15) years of their terminal training position as of December 31^st of the current year (i.e., post-doctoral training; residency or fellowship training for M.D.’s who did not do post-doctoral training).  Nominees can request extensions based on work interruptions due to parental leave, dependent care, illness, or other extenuating circumstances. Recipients who have had a significant life event may include background information in their nomination about the life event for the committee to consider (e.g., birth of a child, childcare, illness of individual, care for an ill family member, personal or family tragedy, etc.).  They do not need to be a member of the ACNP or a citizen of the United States. Nomination of women and individuals from historically excluded groups is highly encouraged.

  Click here to view previous award winners. 

  Please click here to submit a nomination.

• Media Award

  The ACNP Media Award was established to recognize major contributions to the education of the public about mental illness and substance abuse research and the positive impact of research on treatment.  The award is intended to be an expression of appreciation from the College toward outstanding public education leaders who provide complete, accurate, and unbiased information to our society about brain diseases. The honoree may be a member of the print or electronic media, an advocacy organization or a public education initiative that promotes increased awareness of brain research and the impact it has on people’s lives.  The award recipient will attend the ACNP Annual Meeting and interact with its members and guests, further developing his/her own knowledge of the field and expanding his/her network of expert contacts.

  The Media Award consists of an expense paid trip to the ACNP Annual Meeting and a plaque to be presented at the Annual Meeting. The Award winner must attend the Annual Meeting.  

  Any individual may submit a nomination for the ACNP Media Award by submitting to the Awards Committee:

  1. A nominating letter no longer than one page in length that describes the contributions made by the candidate or group.
  2. No more than three examples of the person’s or group’s work (articles, CDs, DVDs, books, etc.) as supporting material.  
  3. Be sure to include the exact name, title, and contact information of the nominee or group.

   

  Click here to view previous award winners.

  Please click here to submit a nomination.

• Public Service Award

  The ACNP Public Service Award has been established in recognition of substantial contributions to affect public policies or other activities related to improving the health of the public with an emphasis on patients with brain diseases. This award is to be given to an outstanding leader dedicated to serving and educating the public about mental illness, committed to advancing research to benefit patients and their loved ones, and having an impact on the continued investment in neuroscience research. The award is intended to be an expression of appreciation from the College toward outstanding public leaders who provide complete, accurate, and unbiased information to our society about brain diseases. The honoree may be a member of the government, an advocacy organization or a public education initiative that promotes increased awareness of brain research and the impact it has on people’s lives.

  The Public Service Award consists of an expense paid trip to the ACNP Annual Meeting and a plaque to be presented at the Annual Meeting. The award recipient will attend the ACNP Annual Meeting and interact with its members and guests, further developing his/her own knowledge of the field and expanding his/her network of expert contacts. If a government official is selected to receive the Public Service Award and is unable to attend the Annual Meeting, the award will be presented to the recipient during a visit to Capitol Hill and presented by a member of the Liaison Committee.

  Any individual may submit a nomination for the ACNP Public Service Award by submitting to the Awards Committee:

  1. A nominating letter no longer than one page in length that describes the contributions made by the candidate or group.  (Please be sure to include the exact name, title, and contact information of the nominee or group.)

   

  Click here to view previous award winners.

  Please click here to submit a nomination.

• Dolores Shockley Diversity and Inclusion Advancement Award

  The American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP) presents the Dolores Shockley Diversity and Inclusion Advancement Award to an individual and/or program (e.g., department, initiative, institute, etc.) that has had outstanding success promoting Diversity and Inclusion within the fields of basic, clinical, or translational neuroscience. Applications for the award will be considered annually but need not be awarded every year. Nominations of individuals and programs will be considered separately, so an award may be given in both categories in any one year. 

  The Dolores Shockley Award seeks to recognize exceptional leadership, innovation, and success in promoting inclusion and career development of young scientists from historically excluded groups – either through acts of individual mentorship, or collective efforts and dedicated programs within institutions. The award consists of a monetary award and a plaque to be given during the Annual Meeting. The awardee (or representatives from the awarded department) must attend the Annual Meeting. The College highly encourages nomination of women and individuals from historically excluded groups for the individual award.

  Any scientist may nominate an individual or an institution for this award by submitting the following to the Awards Committee: 

  To Nominate an Individual:

  1. The one-page nominating letter should address the following points:
     • How long have you known the candidate and in what capacity?
     • Describe the scope of candidate’s mentoring activity (e.g., type of mentees, type of setting for mentoring).
     • What sets this candidate apart as a mentor?
     • Comment on impact of candidate’s mentoring activities on participation of scientists from historically excluded groups in the field.
     • Rank candidate compared to other mentors you have known at similar career stage (top 1, 5, 10%, etc.) with respect to contributions related to mentees from historically excluded groups.
  2. NIH style bio sketch or equivalent (no more than five pages).
  3. Personal statement written to summarize most significant mentoring contributions related to mentees from historically excluded groups. 
  4. Required Metrics:
     • Candidate’s role in Training Grants with a focus on trainees from historically excluded groups
     • Involvement in broader initiatives related to bringing scientists from historically excluded groups into the field (e.g., mentorship, training, and other career advancement mechanisms)
     • Other mentoring activities not captured by the above questions
  5. Letters of support (one-page) from up to three scientists from historically excluded groups who have been mentored by the candidate.

   

  To Nominate a Program:

  1. The nominating letter should be up to two pages and describe the scope of the program’s activities and accomplishments in promoting diversity and inclusion in neuropsychopharmacology and related disciplines. 
  2. Required Metrics:
     • Details of Training Grants that had a focus on trainees from historically excluded groups
     • Broader initiatives related to bringing scientists from historically excluded groups into the field (mentorship, training, other career advancement mechanisms)
     • Other relevant activities not captured by the above questions
  3. Letters of support (one-page) from up to three past trainees from the program.
  4. Include the name of three trainees or junior faculty, their Training Stage (must be undergraduate or above), and a brief description (1-2 sentences) of their involvement in the program. If awarded, these individuals will receive invitations to the annual meeting supported by a travel stipend. The program is encouraged to list the names of individuals from historically excluded groups.

  *Previous winners of the Julius Axelrod Mentorship Award are not eligible.

  Click here to view previous Dolores Shockley Diversity and Inclusion Advancement award winners.

  Click here to view previous Julius Axelrod Mentorship award winners.

  Please click here to submit a nomination.

• Women's Advocacy Award

  The American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP) presents the Women’s Advocacy Award is presented to an individual and/or program (e.g., department, initiative, institute, etc.) who has had outstanding success in the promotion and support of women to address the gender imbalance within the field of brain and behavior disorders. The award is intended to be an expression of appreciation from the College to honor individuals and/or programs for their outstanding work supporting women through role modeling, allyship, leadership, and sponsorship. We encourage nominations of all genders. Nominations of individuals and programs will be considered separately, so an award may be given in both categories in any one year. The submissions will be evaluated by the Honorific Awards Committee. Award recipients will receive a monetary award and a plaque to be given at the ACNP Annual Meeting.

  Any scientist may nominate an individual or an institution for this award by submitting the following to the Awards Committee:

  To Nominate an Individual:

  1. The one-page nominating letter should address the following points:
     • How long have you known the candidate and in what capacity?
     • Describe the scope of candidate’s success in the promotion and support of women to address the gender imbalance within the field of brain and behavior disorders (i.e., specific examples of promoting and supporting women)
     • What sets this candidate apart from others supporting women?
     • Comment on impact of candidate’s promotion and support of women through role modeling, allyship, leadership, and sponsorship
     • Rank candidate compared to other supporters of women you have known at similar career stage (top 1, 5, 10%, etc.) with respect to contributions related to promoting and advancing women in the field
  2. NIH style bio sketch or equivalent (no more than five pages).
  3. Personal statement written to summarize most significant contributions supporting women.
  4. Required Metrics:
     • Involvement in broader initiatives related to promoting and supporting women into the field (e.g., mentorship, training, and other career advancement mechanisms)
     • Other mentoring activities not captured by the above questions
  5. Letters of support (one-page) from up to three scientists who have been mentored or impacted by the candidate.

   

  To Nominate a Program:

  1. The nominating letter should be up to two pages and describe the scope of the program’s activities and accomplishments in promoting and supporting women in neuropsychopharmacology and related disciplines.
  2. Required Metrics:
     • Broader initiatives related to promoting and supporting women into the field (e.g., mentorship, training, and other career advancement mechanisms)
     • Other relevant activities not captured by the above questions
  3. Letters of support (one-page) from up to three scientists who have been mentored or impacted by the program.

   

  Click here to view previous Women’s Advocacy award winners.

  Please click here to submit a nomination.