PROGRAM INFORMATION

SUBMISSIONS ARE OPEN

The American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology (ASCP) recognizes that the vitality and success of most endeavors in medicine is directly related to the ability to attract and maintain a talented pool of clinical investigators. The ASCP NIA Committee is seeking applicants for the New Investigator Award (NIA) Program.

The selected new investigators will be recognized at the 2025 ASCP Annual Meeting in Scottsdale, Arizona, from May 27 to 30, 2025. The program aims to expose awardees to the breadth of opportunities available to clinical researchers, introduce them to senior investigators from other institutions, and facilitate the establishment of a national peer group for the new investigators.

There are six components to this unique program:

    • An NIA Meet and Greet the evening before the workshop.
    • A full-day closed workshop led by NIMH, NIDA, NIAAA, FDA, academic, and industry experts on Monday, May 26, 2025, at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess Hotel.
    • A poster or oral presentation given by each awardee at the ASCP Annual Meeting.
    • A mentor selected from the new investigator's field of interest to guide them through the meeting.
    • Breakfast round table discussions among meeting mentors and NIAs.
    • An awards ceremony with the opportunity to network with leaders in the field.

Who Should Apply?

This program is specifically designed for individuals new to the field who have yet to be the Principal Investigator on an R01 grant. Psychiatric residents, fellows, psychology interns, graduate and medical students, post-doctoral fellows, pharmacists, nurses, and social workers interested in clinical intervention and/or translation research should submit online at ascp.societyconference.com. Any established investigator may nominate individuals for the NIA Program.

New investigator awardees will be honored and celebrated for their contributions at the prestigious 2025 ASCP Annual Meeting in Scottsdale, Arizona, on May 27 – 30, 2025. Awardees will receive a travel/lodging stipend and a certificate acknowledging their participation in the program.

Abstracts not selected for the New Investigator Award Program may be considered for general poster or individual research report presentations without resubmitting.

Should you have a disability and need special accommodations, please contact the ASCP Executive Office at info@ascpp.org or 615-649-3085.

The Deadline to Apply for the New Investigator Award is January 29, 2025.

 

"The American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology New Investigator Award Program offers awardees a comprehensive view of the current state of pharmacological compound development for psychiatric conditions from academic, FDA, NIH, and and industry perspectives. I would highly recommend this program to early career investigators as this program allows you to learn from and be mentored by leaders in the field of clinical psychopharmacology."

Bridget Kajs, PhD

Psychiatric Drug Development Fellow, Janssen

The NIA program is more than just an award, it really opens the door of opportunity. I am grateful to continue my involvement with ASCP.

Ming-Fen Ho, PhD

Assistant Professor of Pharmacology, and Psychiatry, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science

I was part of the NIA program as a new scientist and that was very instrumental to my career.  I learned a lot and met wonderful people who became great colleagues and some, friends and collaborators.

Jair C. Soares, M.D., Ph.D.

Vice President for Behavioral Sciences, John S. Dunn Behavioral Sciences Center UT Health Houston

Participation in the NIA program helped launch my career in clinical research. I greatly appreciated opportunities afforded by the NIA program for networking, exposure to cutting-edge research methods, and mentoring.  I will always be grateful for the “inside glimpse” of various psychiatric research career paths provided by the NIA workshop and for the warm welcome I received from other annual meeting attendees.  I highly recommend the program to any early career investigator seeking to hone their clinical research skills, learn about high quality clinical trials research methodology, and meet fabulous people who will certainly play important roles in their professional development.

Holly Swartz, MD

Professor, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

I found the NIA events at ASCP to be a very stimulating, and I have learned a hell of a lot since then from those I connected with. I've developed strong bonds with fantastic people, and feel more inspired than ever to pursue novel and exciting ideas. The NIA program was a great reminder that, despite all of the paperwork and administrative things which mount as we progress, we are still scientists.... and I needed that.

Nicholas Murphy, PhD

Assistant Professor, Menninger Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences

The ASCP NIA program was a powerful career development experience.  In a short but power-packed program, we learned about the basics of research careers – touching upon developing an individualized development plan, understanding the landscape of funding and research support, identifying federal and industry opportunities to apply for programs to achieve goals, the basics of good networking and how to take advantage of mentors and sponsors.  I made several connections with clinical researchers whom I have seen every year since at ASCP!

Erika F. H. Saunders, MD

Gerald B. Shively and Robert Y. Tan Professor Chair, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health Clinical Co-Director, Addiction Center for Translation, Penn State Neuroscience Institute

Information for Applicants:

This program is specifically designed for individuals who are new to the field and have not been the Principal Investigator on an R01 grant. Psychiatric residents and fellows, psychology interns, graduate and medical students, post doctoral fellows, pharmacists, nurses, and social workers who have a special interest in clinical intervention research and/or translational research should submit online via the instructions below.   Any established investigator may nominate individuals for the NIA Program.

Selected awardees will receive a travel/lodging stipend and a certificate acknowledging their participation in the program. Additionally, all New Investigator Award recipients will receive automatic ASCP membership, as well as complimentary ASCP Annual Meeting registration for two years post award. After two years, recipients are eligible for a reduced registration rate. 

Abstracts not selected for the New Investigator Award Program may be considered for general poster presentations without resubmitting.