Rising Star Award

The nomination period for the 2027 Rising Star Award is now open! The nomination period runs through Monday, December 28, 2026, at 11:59pm CT.

The SRS Rising Star award is presented to two (2) SRS early career investigators who have made significant and sustained contributions in both conducting impactful scientific research and the advocacy of sleep and circadian science through service delivery, mentorship, or public policy.

One award will be given in each of the following categories:

• Clinician Investigator: An individual who has both a research component and a clinical service component to their position (i.e., patient-oriented health services provider).
• Investigator Educator: An individual who falls outside the clinician investigator definition and who conducts sleep and circadian research.

Selection criteria generally include: 

• A body of research that is considered inspired, meritorious, and significant, which has the potential to have a major impact on the field nationally and/or internationally.
• Additional contributions that have advanced the sleep and circadian research fields.

To be eligible, the candidate must:

• Be a member in good standing with the SRS.
• Be within 10 years of having obtained a terminal degree (e.g., PhD, MD, DO) as of the nomination deadline. If the nominee is beyond 10 years of having obtained a terminal degree a description of circumstances facilitating eligibility (e.g., clinical training, maternity/paternity leave or care of dependents) under which the nominee took time away from research within 10 years of obtaining their terminal degree should be included.
• Be at the Assistant Professor level (or equivalent) or earlier career stage as of January 30, 2027.
• For Clinician Researcher award, nominees must have a clinical service component to their current position.
• Researchers who hold clinical degrees but do not currently have clinical service obligations will be viewed as Investigator Educator researchers.

Nomination Process:

Nominations packages must be submitted using the Reviewr grant portal platform with supporting documents uploaded as a single PDF. Supporting documents should include:

1. A copy of the nominee’s academic CV. If you are nominating a colleague, SRS staff will reach out to the nominee directly to ensure the most up to date CV is received.
2. Nominator letter of support describing the applicant’s contribution to the sleep and/circadian research field. If self-nominating, a letter of support from a senior investigator, familiar with the candidate’s body of work, describing the applicant’s contribution to the sleep and circadian sciences.
3. If nominee is not within 10 years of obtaining a terminal degree, a description of circumstances (e.g., clinical training, maternity/paternity leave, or care of dependents) under which the nominee took time away from research within 10 years of obtaining their terminal degree.

The nominee may also apply for other SRS awards in the year of nomination (e.g., SRS Outstanding Early Investigator Award, Trainee Merit Award), but in the event the individual receives another Award, they can only accept one award. The evaluation rubric can be accessed here.

Please note, recipients of the SRS Rising Star Award, including both the Investigator Educator and Clinician Investigator, are required to participate in a mandated session at the annual SLEEP meeting. The session will provide attendees with insight into both recipients’ research, career journeys, and professional experiences.

Deadline: December 28, 2026, at 11:59pm CT

Questions? Please contact the SRS Coordinator at coordinator@srsnet.org.