ENOCH GORDIS RESEARCH RECOGNITION AWARDS

The Enoch Gordis Research Recognition Awards are supported and reviewed by the Career Development & Training Committee. Nominees must be graduate students and post-doctoral fellows who present a first author poster during the RSA Annual Scientific Meeting in one of the following research areas:

• Biological / Preclinical
• Psychosocial / Clinical
• Translational

The application process requires submitting an abstract for poster presentation, even if the abstract has also been submitted for an oral presentation (speaker abstract), by the RSA submission deadline. Additionally, applicants will need to write and submit an expanded abstract that provides further details about their study. Graduate students must also submit a letter from their mentor/PI confirming their eligibility. Detailed instructions are available below and within the submission process.

Finalists will be notified mid-March and are required to attend the Annual Meeting, present their research during a poster session, and during their assigned oral presentation session. Finalists are judged on-site during the Annual Meeting by members of the Career Development & Training Committee. The 4-5 awardees will be determined by the number of applications received in each category and the quality of the work presented. 

All Finalists are strongly encouraged to attend the Closing Ceremony, as the Enoch Gordis Awardees are announced and asked to stand for applaus and celebration by the RSA Community during the Awards portion. *Award funds ($1,000 USD) and an Enoch Gordis plaque will be distrubited after the Annual Meeting.

All students and eligible postdoctoral fellows are encouraged to apply. Only one application per person and per abstract may be submitted. The online application site opens October 14, 2026 and closes January 29, 2027.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

ELIGIBILITY:  

GRADUATE STUDENTS:  No undergraduate students; only graduate students at the time of the Annual Meeting

POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWS: Must not be more than 5 years past PhD or MD at the time of the Annual Meeting.

Note: Receiving a Student Merit / Junior Investigator Award does not preclude you from receiving an Enoch Gordis Research Recognition Award. You may apply for both awards. 

TIMING:
The Enoch Gordis application opens October 14, 2026 and closes January 29, 2027. A poster or oral abstract must be submitted BEFORE applying, as the Submission ID will be required for the application.

MATERIALS:
Applicants must have the original abstract that was submitted to RSA for a poster presentation; including title, authors, affiliations and abstract.  For an Enoch Gordis application, a poster abstract submission is required even if abstract was also submitted for oral presentation (speaker abstract).  When relevant, certain information that is standard for abstracts should be included:  sample sizes, statistical methods and levels of significance, and quantitative comparisons (for example, if you measured a change in something, how much did it change?).

An expanded version of your abstract - maximum 900 word count that includes:

• Introduction (outlining the significance of the research)
• Methods
• Results
• Discussion

Figures, charts, and tables may not be included within the application. 

Abstract References - maximum 300 word count.

Graduate Students Only - A PDF verification letter from your PI/advisor must be uploaded within the application. The letter must include PI/advisor's full name & email address, confirm that you are a graduate student, and they should expand the letter to include your recent research activities.