NEWS
The Genetics Society of America and the American Society of Human Genetics administer this award for early career independent female investigators with funding from The Gruber Foundation
BETHESDA, MD – April 23, 2012 – The Genetics Society of America (GSA) and the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) announce the opening of the online application for the 2013 Rosalind Franklin Young Investigator Awards, a career development research award for early career female geneticists, funded by The Gruber Foundation. The award, which is open to women scientists worldwide who are within their first three years as an independent faculty level researcher, provides $75,000 over three years ($25,000 per year) in support. GSA and ASHG will select two recipients, one for genetics research in human or non-human mammals and one for genetics research in model organisms.
“The Rosalind Franklin Award recognizes two early career women for their scientific creativity, leadership, and potential in genetics research. This exceptional honor provides catalytic funding at a critical time in the careers of two meritorious geneticists and is a wonderful occasion to celebrate excellence and stimulate future genetics research,” said GSA President Phil Hieter, Ph.D. “We look forward to the opportunity to provide a much-needed boost to deserving scientists who are the future of our field,” he added.
“The Rosalind Franklin Award, affectionately known as ‘the Rosies,’ has a special place in the hearts of the members of the ASHG,” said ASHG President Mary-Claire King, Ph.D. “The transition to independence from postdoctoral work is the most difficult step for any scientist and poses special challenges for young women. For those of us honored to be on the Rosalind Franklin Award committee, the selection of the Rosie winners is a matter of great excitement and pride. ASHG celebrates with GSA the women who have received the Award in past years and thanks Patricia Gruber and The Gruber Foundation for their continued enthusiasm on behalf of the next generation of women in genetics,” she added.
These awards are presented every three years in honor of the groundbreaking and essential contributions of Dr. Rosalind Franklin (1920-1958) to the understanding of the structure of DNA. Previous recipients of this Rosalind Franklin Young Investigator Award are:
– 2010 Iiris Hovatta, Ph.D., University of Helsinki, Finland Jue D. Wang, Ph.D., Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
– 2007 Molly Przeworski, Ph.D., University of Chicago
– 2004 Amy Pasquinelli, Ph.D., University of California, San Diego
“Our intent with the Rosalind Franklin Award is to encourage the research of talented women geneticists in the early stages of their careers. The award has been a lodestone for excellence, and we are thrilled to discover a greater pool of outstanding candidates than we had dreamed existed,” said Patricia Gruber, Co-founder and President Emeritus, The Gruber Foundation.
Applications, which include a candidate’s statement and curriculum vitae along with two letters of recommendation, will be accepted until June 8, 2012.
ABOUT THE GENETICS SOCIETY OF AMERICA
Founded in 1931, the Genetics Society of America (GSA) is the professional membership organization for scientific researchers, educators, bioengineers, bioinformaticians and others interested in the field of genetics. Its nearly 5,000 members work to advance knowledge in the basic mechanisms of inheritance, from the molecular to the population level. The GSA is dedicated to promoting research in genetics and to facilitating communication among geneticists worldwide through its conferences, including the biennial conference on Model Organisms to Human Biology, an interdisciplinary meeting on current and cutting edge topics in genetics research, as well as annual and biennial meetings that focus on the genetics of particular organisms, including C. elegans, Drosophila, fungi, mice, yeast, and zebrafish. GSA publishes GENETICS, a leading journal in the field and a new online, open-access publication, G3: Genes|Genomes|Genetics. For more information about GSA, please visit www.genetics-gsa.org. Also follow GSA on Facebook at facebook.com/GeneticsGSA and on Twitter @GeneticsGSA.
ABOUT THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF HUMAN GENETICS
Founded in 1948, the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) is the primary professional membership organization for human genetics specialists worldwide. The nearly 8,000 members of ASHG include researchers, academicians, clinicians, laboratory practice professionals, genetic counselors, nurses and others involved in or with a special interest in human genetics. The Society’s mission is to serve research scientists, health professionals and the public by providing forums to: (1) share research results through the ASHG Annual Meeting and in The American Journal of Human Genetics; (2) advance genetic research by advocating for research support; (3) educate current and future genetics professionals, health care providers, advocates, policymakers, educators, students and the public about all aspects of human genetics; and (4) promote genetic services and support responsible social and scientific policies. For more information about ASHG, visit: http://www.ashg.org. Follow ASHG on Facebook at facebook.com/GeneticsSociety and on Twitter at @GeneticsSociety.
ABOUT THE GRUBER FOUNDATION
The Gruber Foundation honors and encourages excellence in the fields of Cosmology, Genetics, Neuroscience, Justice and Women’s Rights, recognizing groundbreaking work that provides new models that inspire and enable fundamental shifts in knowledge and culture. For more information about Foundation guidelines and priorities, please visit: www.gruberprizes.org.