New York, NY, April 3, 2017 — The Vilcek Foundation is now accepting applications for the 2018 Vilcek Prizes for Creative Promise in biomedical science. Three winners will each receive a $50,000 unrestricted cash prize.

The Creative Promise Prizes were established in 2009 to support and to acknowledge young, emerging immigrant professionals who have demonstrated significant accomplishments early in their careers.

“The United States has been at the vanguard of scientific development for decades,” says Jan Vilcek, CEO and chairman of the Vilcek Foundation, “in large part due to the diverse viewpoints and intense dedication of immigrant scientists. With the Creative Promise Prizes, we hope to foster a new generation of foreign-born scientists whose talents and skill will continue to further American research.”

Eligible candidates must be independent researchers directly responsible for the design and execution of the work submitted for consideration. They should hold a full-time position at an academic institution or other organization, as an assistant or associate professor, research scientist, or equivalent. In addition, eligible applicants will have been born outside of the United States; be 38 years of age or younger; and hold a doctoral degree (MD, PhD, or equivalent).

Candidates will be asked to submit an application form, curriculum vitae, authored works, three short personal essays, and proof of immigration status. The application process is entirely online, and applications will be accepted from April 3 through May 31, 2017. The application and full eligibility requirements are available at Vilcek.org. 

A panel of distinguished experts will evaluate each applicant’s accomplishments, including the quality and creativity of the work submitted, clarity of personal and professional purpose, and potential for positive impact on the field and society at large. Three winners will be announced in February 2018 and honored at the foundation’s annual awards gala in spring 2018. 

The Vilcek Foundation is dedicated to honoring the contributions of foreign-born artists, scientists, and scholars to American society. In addition to bestowing the Creative Promise Prizes, the foundation also awards the prestigious $100,000 Vilcek Prize; launched in 2006, the Vilcek Prizes celebrate the lifetime achievements of leading figures in a wide array of fields within biomedical science and the arts, including theatre, dance, film, music, fashion, and visual arts. Since launching the prizes, the foundation has awarded over $3.5 million to 97 individuals from 45 different countries, including China, Colombia, Iran, Jordan, Ghana, Peru, and Turkey.

Both the Vilcek Prizes and the Creative Promise Prizes are awarded in the biomedical sciences and a rotating category of the arts each year. For information about the Vilcek Prizes for Creative Promise in the Arts and Humanities, this year awarded in the field of architecture and the building arts, please visit Vilcek.org.