Kids Brain Health Outstanding Awards

Eligibility

Summary

These awards celebrate the dedication and achievements of individuals who have made a positive impact across the Kids Brain Health (KBH+) community during 2024-2025, advancing neurodevelopmental disability research and supporting children and families with lived experience..

Award categories:

• Promising Researcher Award
• Mentor/Supervisor Award
• Inclusive Researcher/Innovator

Why nominate?

Nominations celebrate and recognize trainees, researchers, mentors and lived experience leaders who demonstrate exceptional commitment to the KBH+ network and actively contribute to KBH+’s activities and mission. Award recipients will receive formal recognition that highlights their dedication and enhances their professional and community visibility.

Who can be nominated:

Nominees should exemplify the following:

• Strong commitment to KBH+’s mission: Actively supports KBH+’s mission to ensure optimal care and better outcomes for children with neurodevelopmental disabilities and their families, along with sustained participation in Network activities.
• High levels of engagement and involvement: Demonstrates enthusiasm by attending and contributing to KBH+ events, including webinars, workshops, and collaborative projects.
• Meaningful contributions to KBH+’s goals: Enhances the Network’s experience and impact through dedicated involvement, benefiting themselves and fellow members.

Who can nominate (unless otherwise specified)
Nominations are open to KBH+ trainees, researchers, investigators, staff members, partners, family members and people with lived experience. Self-nominations are also accepted with a support letter from a supervisor or colleague. Nominators do not need to be KBH+ members unless they are self-nominating.

Promising Researcher Award

This award honours an early-career (within five years of completing postdoctoral work) researcher’s significant accomplishments and dedication in neurodevelopmental disability research.

Who can be nominated: Eligible candidates are KBH+ researchers who have demonstrated significant and impactful contributions to neurodevelopmental disability research.

Nominate a Promising Researcher

Mentor/Supervisor Award

This award recognizes a mentor or supervisor who provides exceptional guidance and fosters a supportive and dynamic learning environment that advances the KBH+ mission.

Who can be nominated: Eligible candidates for this award are mentors or supervisors who actively contribute to KBH+. The award is not restricted to formal principal investigators or scientists; it is open to researchers and professionals across all disciplines. Ideal candidates should demonstrate one or more of the following qualities:

• Demonstrated leadership and commitment to the professional development of KBH+ trainees.
• Effective guidance and support, creating an encouraging and inclusive learning environment.
• Significant contributions to advancing KBH+’s mission through training, mentorship, and knowledge mobilization.
• Collaboration with community partners, stakeholders, or colleagues, furthering the impact of research and learning.

Please note: Self-nominations are not accepted for a mentor/supervisor.

Nominate a Mentor/Supervisor

Inclusive Researcher/Innovator

This award recognizes KBH+ researchers or innovators who integrate inclusivity into their work and contribute significantly to the neurodevelopmental disability research community through innovative practices and partnerships.

Who can be nominated: This award recognizes researchers or innovators who incorporate inclusivity in their research designs and methodologies. Nominees may include those in the wider neurodevelopmental disability research community and have roles that significantly foster innovation and inclusivity in their fields. Candidates should be individuals contributing to the KBH+ network through research, policy development, or community partnerships that aim to enhance outcomes for individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities.

Who can nominate: Nominations are open to all members of the neurodevelopmental disability research community. Individuals can nominate themselves or be nominated by their peers or colleagues. Nominators do not need to be members of the KBH+ network unless they are self-nominating. This ensures that the nomination process remains inclusive, allowing a wider range of community members, researchers, caregivers, and stakeholders to recognize outstanding KBH+ member contributors in neurodevelopmental disabilities.

Nominate an Inclusive Researcher/Innovator

Award Details

Award recipients will receive a certificate of recognition and a $1,500 honorarium to support attendance to the KBH+ Conference in Calgary, Alberta, from October 18 to 21, 2026. Awardees will also be featured on the KBH+ website, newsletter, social media, and other promotional channels.

Timeline and nomination details

Nomination Deadline: February 20, 2026

Award Notification: March 20, 2026

Each nominator may submit one nomination per award category. Nominees may be considered for multiple awards if different nominators submit each nomination. If a nominee is shortlisted for more than one category, contributions will be evaluated independently to ensure they meet the specific criteria for each award.

For more information, please reach out to our team at communications@kidsbrainhealth.ca.

Application deadlines

Program application deadline