Departmental Prizes

Thomas Willis Early Career Researcher Prize 2025

NDCN invites applications for the Thomas Willis Early Career Researcher Prize. The prize will recognise an outstanding piece of research published in the last 12 months by an early career researcher within the Department.

Early career researchers are invited to submit a completed application form and a pdf copy of the research article to the HoD Office (hodoffice@ndcn.ox.ac.uk) by 5pm, Friday 23 May 2025 

Eligibility criteria

The applicant should:

• Be a current member of NDCN
• Have completed their PhD/DPhil viva after 1 January 2021
• Have made substantial contributions to the submitted research
• Not have won the prize in previous years

The submitted research should be an original research article published in a peer reviewed journal in the last 12 months.

Assessment criteria

Applications will be assessed against the following criteria:

• Novelty of the work
• Impact of the work
• Applicant's contribution to the work

The winner will receive £250 and a certificate, to be awarded on Thomas Willis Day.

Early Career Prize Application Form

Thomas Willis Intermediate Career Researcher Prize 2025

NDCN invites applications for the Thomas Willis Intermediate Career Researcher Prize. The prize will recognise an outstanding piece of research published in the last 12 months by an intermediate career researcher within the Department.

Intermediate career researchers are invited to submit a completed application form and a pdf copy of the research article to the HoD Office (hodoffice@ndcn.ox.ac.uk) by 5pm, Friday 23 May 2025.

Eligibility criteria

The applicant should:

• Be a current member of NDCN
• Have completed their DPhil/PhD viva no shorter than four years ago (1 January 2021) but no longer than 10 years ago (1 January 2015)
• Have made substantial contributions to the submitted research

The submitted research should be an original research article published in a peer reviewed journal in the last 12 months.

Assessment criteria

Applications will be assessed against the following criteria:

• Novelty of the work
• Impact of the work
• Applicant's contribution to the work

The winner will receive £250 and a certificate, to be awarded on Thomas Willis Day.

Intermediate Career Prize Application Form

NDCN Department Award for Leadership 2025

NDCN recognises that leadership is vital for the good functioning of the department. Good leadership can be visible at any grade or career stage. We therefore seek to award two prizes, one to a member of the Department not in a traditional leadership role, and one to an established leader. Each prize will recognise a member of the Department who has made an exceptional contribution to leadership within the Department in the last 12 months.

Nominations as well as self-nominations are welcome. If nominating another member of NDCN, please ensure they are happy to be nominated before making the nomination.

Nominations or applications should be submitted using the application form to the HoD Office (hodoffice@ndcn.ox.ac.uk) by 5pm, Friday 23 May 2025

Assessment Criteria

Applications will be assessed against the following criterion:

• Evidence of the impact the individual's leadership has made to the local or departmental culture.

Eligibility Criteria

The nominee should:

• Be a current member of NDCN
• Have made substantial contribution to the local or departmental culture in the last 12 months
• Two prizes will be awarded, one for someone at Grade 8 or below and one at Grade 9 or higher.

The winners will receive £250 and a certificate, to be awarded at Thomas Willis Day.

Leadership Prize Application Form

NDCN Department Award for Open Science 2025

NDCN seeks to lead the way in championing Open Science practice. We therefore seek to award a prize to the individual or team who has made an exceptional contribution to Open Science efforts within the Department in the last 12 months. Open Science can take many forms and we encourage nominees to think broadly about what constitutes exceptional open science.

Nominations and self-nominations are welcome. If nominating another member of NDCN, please ensure they are happy to be nominated before completing the form.

Nominations or applications should be submitted using the application form to the HoD Office (hodoffice@ndcn.ox.ac.uk) by 5pm, Friday 23 May 2025

Assessment Criteria

Applications will be assessed against the following criterion:

• Evidence of the impact the individual(s)' contribution has made to Open Science efforts in the Department.

Eligibility Criteria

The nominee should:

• Be a current member of NDCN
• Have made substantial contribution to Open Science in the last 12 months

The winner(s) will receive £250 and a certificate, to be awarded at Thomas Willis Day.

Open Science Prize Application Form

NDCN Department Award for Public Engagement 2025

NDCN invites either nominations from supervisors/line managers or applications from individual members or a group in the Department for the Award for public engagement. The prize will recognise a member of/members of, or group in, the department who has/have made an exceptional contribution to promoting the work of the department through public engagement in the last 12 months.

Nominations or applications should be submitted using the application form to the HoD Office (hodoffice@ndcn.ox.ac.uk) by 5pm, Friday 23 May 2025

Eligibility criteria

The applicant(s) should:

• Be a current member(s) of NDCN
• Have made substantial contributions to public engagement in the last 12 months

Assessment criteria

Applications will be assessed against the following criteria:

• Impact of the work
• Applicant's/group's contribution to the work

The winner/winners will be awarded either £250 for an individual or a share of the prize of £500 for a team award.

Public Engagement Prize Application Form

NDCN Department Award for Teaching 2025

NDCN invites either nominations from supervisors/line managers or applications from individual members of the Department or groups for the Award for Teaching (excluding non-taught programmes). The prize will recognise a member of/members of, or group in, the department who has/have made an exceptional contribution to promoting the work of the department in a teaching setting in the last 12 months.

Nominations or applications should be submitted using the application form to the HoD Office (hodoffice@ndcn.ox.ac.uk) by 5pm, Friday 23 May 2025

Eligibility criteria

The applicant(s) should:

• Be a current member(s) of NDCN
• Have made substantial contributions to teaching activity in the last 12 months

Assessment criteria

Applications will be assessed by members of the Teaching Committee against the following criteria:

• Impact of the work
• Applicant's/group's contribution to the work

The winner/winners will be awarded either £250 for an individual or a share of the prize of £500 for a team award.

Teaching Prize Application Form