We are pleased to announce the call for nominations for the 2027 GSRNet Breakthrough Award, which recognizes scientists whose work has delivered a field-shaping advance in stress or resilience research — basic, translational, and/or clinical.
The award honors an individual (or, in exceptional cases, a team) whose research has produced a major conceptual and/or methodological contribution, supported by a substantial body of peer-reviewed work, and with clear influence on how the field thinks, measures, or intervenes in stress and resilience. The recipient’s scholarship should reflect scientific rigor, excellence, and integrity, and serve as an inspiration to the community.
A “major contribution” refers to a field-shaping conceptual insight, methodological innovation, or translational/clinical advance, supported by peer-reviewed work, with demonstrable impact on how stress/resilience is studied, measured, or addressed (e.g., broad adoption, replication, influence on standards/guidelines, practice change, policy and/or innovation).
The award is organized and sponsored by the Global Stress & Resilience Network (GSRNet) and will be presented at the GSRNet Meeting, 3-5 February 2027.
Eligibility and nomination criteria
- The nominee has made a breakthrough contribution to the study of stress or resilience.
- The nominee does not need to be a GSRNet member.
- Any GSRNet member may submit one nomination, including self-nomination.
- Members of the GSRNet Steering Committee are not eligible to receive the award during their term on the Committee.
- Past recipients are not eligible for re-nomination.
- Joint nominations may be accepted when the contributions are demonstrably collaborative and inseparable.
- All career stages are eligible
How to nominate?
Nominations must be submitted by a GSRNet member; members may nominate themselves or a colleague. Please submit the complete nomination package as a single PDF to info@gsr-net.org.
Deadline: 30 June 2026 (5:00 pm CEST).
Nominations must include:
- Nominator details (if different from the nominee): full name, institutional affiliation, email address, and relationship to the nominee (e.g., collaborator, mentor, independent colleague).
- Nominee details: full name, institutional affiliation, and contact information.
- Contribution summary (max. 500 words): a concise statement describing the nominee’s key contributions and why they constitute a breakthrough for the field. Please address, where relevant:
- What is the central breakthrough (the core insight, advance, or innovation)?
- What is its main contribution — conceptual, technical/methodological, translational/clinical, policy, and/or innovation/translation?
- What evidence supports its impact, and how has it changed research directions, standards, or practice?
- Which publications or outputs best represent the breakthrough (e.g., key papers, datasets, tools, trials, guidelines)?
- List of selected outputs: up to 10 key publications and/or major research outputs relevant to the breakthrough (with DOIs, links).
Evaluation process
All nominations will be reviewed by the GSRNet Steering Committee. Evaluation will be based on:
- Breakthrough significance and originality: the extent to which the work has changed understanding, introduced a new paradigm, or enabled a major shift in approaches.
- Scientific rigor and innovation: strength of evidence, methodological quality, and creativity of the contribution.
- Field impact: demonstrable influence on research directions, adoption of methods, translation to practice, and/or relevance to policy.
- Influence and leadership: contributions to the community, including mentorship and a commitment to excellence and integrity.
- Steering Committee members recuse themselves in case of conflict of interest.
- The winner will be informed by November 2026.
What the award includes
The recipient will receive formal recognition at the GSRNet Meeting, including an Award Lecture, and will be featured through GSRNet communications. The award includes a prize of CHF 5,000.