Neuroscience Research Center Awards

• Must attend at least half of the scheduled seminars in the 2026 Fall NRC Seminar Series (see attached seminar flyer). There are 10 seminars scheduled for this fall, so attendance at a minimum of 5 is required. However, you are expected to and strongly encouraged to attend as many as possible. You are encouraged to attend in person, but if you are only able to participate virtually, please contact the NRC at NRC@mcw.edu. A sign-in sheet or QR code check-in option will be available at each seminar.
• Must be a NRC member to be considered for the award. Details on how to become a member can be found here.
• Full time MCW graduate student or MCW post-doctoral investigator in good standing.
• Some travel costs are paid as reimbursement after travel. Applicant will be required to provide invoices or receipts for reimbursement.
• Awardees must get written approval from their lab/PI before traveling.
• Awardees will be asked to report on what they've learned or experienced and provide a travel photo for media publication.
• Awardees are eligible to receive this award only once in their MCW career.
• Awardees may receive up to $2,500. Any portion of the award that is not used for eligible expenses will be forfeited and will not be disbursed to the recipient.

• CV or Biosketch
• Location, event name, dates of event, and estimated dates of travel
• A detailed budget outlining how the award funds will be used (e.g., conference registration, lodging, airfare, meals, and other travel expenses). You may include screenshots or links to support your estimated costs.
  (250 word maximum for each question)
  • Describe the conference, workshop, educational event, or travel opportunity you plan to attend. How does this opportunity align with your neuroscience research, training, or career goals?
  • Following the event, awardees will be asked to share photos and a summary of their experience. What are you most excited to bring back to your lab, the NRC community, or MCW from this opportunity?

The NeuroSPARK Award supports Full Professors with funding of up to $25,000 for NRC mission-aligned initiatives including research, education, community outreach, and professional development.
Examples:

• Research: Test a new idea, generate pilot data, complete a project for publication, or purchase small equipment that opens a new avenue of research.
• Education: Create opportunities to share expertise and build knowledge, such as hosting a symposium or supporting a student or research intern.
• Community Engagement: Put neuroscience expertise to work improving the health and well-being of our community, from expanding patient and family support to strengthening programs that provide expertise, care, and resources where they are needed most.
• Professional development: Build new expertise by learning a technique, visiting a collaborator’s lab, or participating in specialized training

To be considered for the NeuroSPARK Award, individuals applying must meet the following requirements:

1. Applicant must be an NRC member to be considered for the award.
2. Details on how to become a member can be found here.
3. Applicant must be a Full Professor at MCW
4. Applicant’s ideas must support the NRC’s mission to progress, advocate for, and broaden the impact of the neurosciences
5. Applicants are required to provide a detailed budget and justification at the time of application.
6. If funds are being used for research, the awarded individual will need approval from the appropriate safety committee (e.g., IBC, IRB, IACUC) before award funds are released.

1. A single PDF document containing the following:

• Proposal (maximum of one page). Clearly explain the following:
• Who is involved
• What the proposal entails
• When and where it will take place
• Goals and/or expected outcomes
• How it supports the NRC’s mission

2. Provide a budget and justification in the template of the applicant’s choosing. Excel is preferred.

• Faculty are not allowed to receive salary support from this award. Faculty serving as PI can have effort on the project, but their effort must be cost-shared.
• All funds are to be used within 1 year of being awarded.