Dissertation Award
Award Submissions Now Closed
These include traditional metrics of scientific success as well as:
- Efforts to engage in science communication and outreach
- Foster open science
- Advocate for diversity and inclusion in our field.
- All these criteria should be enumerated in the application materials. The award winner receives complimentary registration and a 15-minute presentation slot at the next Flux Congress.
Note: It is only possible to be nominated once for this award.
Eligibility Criteria
- The applicant/nominee must be a member at the time they apply
- The applicant/nominee’s work must show originality and significance
- The applicant/nominee must be committed to the field of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience and show promise of a career in the field
- Thesis defense must occur after March 31, 2022, and before April 1, 2023
Nominations can be submitted via the button below or emailed to . Application Deadline: April 1st, 2023.
Application materials
- Nomination Letter: The letter of nomination/recommendation from the student’s research advisor should include the following: Document the student’s status and the level of independence of the student’s contribution. In addition, the research advisor should describe the primary question addressed in the dissertation, what was innovative or unique about the dissertation, and what is the main contribution to the field. Note: the letter of nomination for this award must be by a regular member (non-student) and should focus on discussing the quality of the nominee’s dissertation research.
- Abstract
- Dissertation (full document)
- Nominee’s CV
Application Deadline: April 1st, 2023.
Previous Dissertation Award Winners
2022
Divyangana Rakesh
Divyangana finished her PhD from The University of Melbourne, Australia in 2022 under the supervision of Prof. Sarah Whittle. Divyangana’s thesis focused on examining the association between early adversities (like socioeconomic disadvantage and maltreatment), brain development, and mental health in young people. Her work has shown that early adverse experiences are associated with neurodevelopmental alterations during childhood and adolescence, and that these deviations from typical brain development are in turn associated with mental health. Her work has also demonstrated that positive psychological and environmental factors (such as positive home and school environments as well as temperament) may buffer some of the risk conferred by exposure to early adversity.
Previously, she completed a Masters in Research (Neuroscience) from University of Bordeaux, France in 2018, an MBA from MICA, India in 2013 and BSc. (Hons) in Biochemistry from University of Delhi, India in 2011.
One-on-One Interview with Divyangana Rakesh
(July 2022)
Congratulations to Divyangana Rakesh, winner of the 2022 Flux Dissertation Award! Dr. Rakesh recently completed her PhD in Neuroscience at the Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre at the University of Melbourne, where she conducted developmental cognitive neuroscience research with her supervisor Prof. Sarah Whittle. Her winning dissertation, entitled “Associations between early adversity, brain development, and mental health during adolescence”, demonstrated that both childhood maltreatment and low SES are associated with widespread alterations in brain structure and function, revealing neurobiological pathways through which adversity can impact children’s mental health and wellbeing.
2021
2021 Winner: Cameron Ellis, Yale University
2020
2020 Winner: Denise Werchan, New York University School of Medicine
2019
2019 Winner: Katie Insel, Columbia University Zuckerman Institute