Harry M. Vars and Promising Investigator Awards

General Overview 

• Recognizes and honors an Early Career Investigator ((within 10 years of completing a terminal research degree, medical residency, or end of post-graduate clinical training and must be at a career level of assistant professor (or the equivalent) or lower) who has submitted a top-scoring original abstract and demonstrates excellence via a manuscript and oral presentation at the ASPEN Nutrition Science & Practice Conference Premier Paper Session. 
• The runner-up to the Vars Award winner is the Promising Investigator Award winner. The selection is based on the same criteria below.
  

• Candidates have chosen to participate in the Vars competition by opting in on the Abstract Submission Site.
• The candidate has submitted an Original Abstract (abstract represents original work that is presented for the first time at the ASPEN Nutrition Science & Practice Conference). Abstracts presented at other national meetings will not be considered.
• The abstract score as determined by the Abstract Review Committee.
• The quality of the candidate’s manuscript including technical writing, level of research innovation as defined by the NIH, and alignment of research to ASPEN.
• Presentation and responses to questions at the ASPEN Nutrition Science & Practice Conference Premier Paper Session.

The presentation evaluation criteria include:

• Command of material; expertise commensurate with level of experience and training
• Appropriateness of slides, organization, and format of talk
• Appropriate organization of the presentation in support of the manuscript including the overall timing of the talk
• Clearly states background, relevance, and rationale for the study
• Cleary states hypothesis, study design, and methodology
• Presents data and results relevant to research questions/study aims
• Presents complicated concepts & results at a level understandable to the general audience
• Summarizes appropriately; findings interpreted with appropriate level of caution and understanding of results within the context of current literature
• Presents clearly with obvious preparation and control
• Articulately handles responses, explanations, and discussion during Q/A
• Input from the audience via popular vote

Vars and Promising Investigator Candidates must comply with the Following Criteria and Responsibilities:

• The presenting author is specified at the time of abstract submission and will attend the ASPEN Nutrition Science & Practice Conference to present their abstract at the Premier Paper Session. The presenter/Vars candidate must be listed as the first author in the author list and if an unexpected event occurs prior to the conference that prevents that Vars candidate from presenting, ASPEN has the authority to make other arrangements on a case-by-case basis.
• The presenting author is an Early Career Investigator ((within 10 years of completing a terminal research degree, medical residency, or end of post-graduate clinical training and 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 the US affiliated awards. 
• A manuscript based on the candidate’s abstract will be produced and submitted to JPEN prior to the stated submission deadline. On behalf of ASPEN and the Research Committee, it is recommended that each candidate submits their manuscript for detailed proofreading to ensure academic and written English proficiency prior to submission to JPEN. Failure to meet the deadline will result in disqualification of the candidate. Note: Manuscript submission does not guarantee acceptance by JPEN editors.
• 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. One candidate will receive the Vars Award and the runner-up will receive the Promising Investigator Award.