Call for Nominations for the Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists (Internal Deadline: October 13)

September 16, 2026

Deans, Directors, and Chairpersons:

On behalf of the Office of the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, I would like to notify you that the University has been invited to submit nominations for consideration for the Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists, a national faculty competition to “recognize the United States’ most promising faculty-rank researchers in Life Sciences, Physical Sciences & Engineering, and Chemical Sciences,” with three winners each awarded $250,000 in unrestricted funds. Rutgers can submit one nomination in each of the three disciplinary categories: Life Sciences, Physical Sciences & Engineering, and Chemical Sciences. The Blavatnik guidelines specify that the nominees must be born in or after 1985 and hold a tenured or tenure-track academic faculty position or equivalent.  Age limit exceptions will be considered in exceptional circumstances upon a detailed written submission from the nominating institution by November 11, 2026. Exceptional circumstances can include but are not limited to maternity/paternity leave, prolonged absence due to severe illness, etc. The Blavatnik Awards strongly encourages institutional nominators to diversify the population of candidates nominated for this Award.

Please visit the Blavatnik website for more detailed guidelines. To nominate a candidate, please upload to InfoReady, a research summary (1,000 words maximum), list of published papers (after graduate training) and/or patents, curriculum vitae, disciplinary category, professional service statement, and a letter of nomination no later than October 13, 2026. Self-nominations will not be accepted. The usual peer review process will be invoked if there is more than one nomination in each category. Those faculty members who are chosen will be notified as soon as possible, and the application must be prepared to meet the December 2, 2026, deadline for submission. External letters of recommendation must be submitted electronically by December 16. 

Your assistance in helping to identify the best candidates is greatly appreciated.

Please note that Rutgers–Newark has also been invited to nominate three candidates. For further details on how to submit a nomination for Newark faculty, please contact Anthony Mayo at (mayoal@rutgers.edu).

Regards,

Angela