Harry M. Vars and Promising Investigator Awards

General Overview

Recognizes and honors an Early Career Investigator who has submitted a top-scoring original abstract, and demonstrates excellence via a manuscript and oral presentation at the ASPEN Nutrition Science & Practice Conference.
The Vars recipient and the runner up in the competition, the Promising Investigator, may be awarded cash prizes.

The presenting author is an Early Career Investigator (he/she is within 10 years of completing a terminal research degree, medical residency, end of post-graduate clinical training; must be at a career level of assistant professor (or the equivalent) or lower; and is the primary contributor to the research represented in the abstract.
The presenter must not have obtained funding (other than career development awards/young investigator awards) from a large governing research body such as the NIH or equivalent in the US or another country. Please check the NIH list to verify US affiliated awards
The presenting author is specified at the time of abstract submission and must be listed as the first author in the author list.
A manuscript based on the candidate’s abstract will be produced and submitted to JPEN prior to the stated submission deadline.
All candidates will attend the ASPEN Nutrition Science & Practice Conference to present their abstract in the Premier Paper Session.
All candidates must also attend the Rhoads Lecture and Awards Ceremony in preparation for the Vars Award or Promising Investigator Award recipient announcement.