Child Mind Institute to Partner with City University of New York’s Advanced Science Research Center on Annual Rising Scientist Awards

Nominations open today and winners will receive a $2000 scholarship and recognition at the Child Mind Institute’s On the Shoulders of Giants scientific symposium

New York, NY, March 6, 2017 – The Child Mind Institute announced today that it will partner with The City University of New York’s Advanced Science Research Center (CUNY ASRC) on the annual Rising Scientist Awards, which recognize rising high school seniors who have demonstrated exceptional promise in science and a specific interest in child mental health and pediatric neuroscience. Nominations open today and winners will receive a $2000 scholarship to be awarded at the Child Mind Institute’s On the Shoulders of Giants scientific symposium, which will be held at The City University of New York’s Advanced Science Research Center in the fall.

“The Child Mind Institute is pleased to be partnering with The City University of New York’s Advanced Science Research Center,” said Child Mind Institute Founding President Harold S. Koplewicz, MD. “The Rising Scientist Awards are a wonderful opportunity for both our organizations to celebrate the brilliant scientific minds of the next generation and to encourage them to continue to advance our understanding of the brain.”

The Rising Scientist Awards are given annually and are open to rising high school seniors who attend school in the New York tri-state area. Preference will be given to students who attend New York City public schools. To be eligible for the 2017 awards, nominees must be in the 11th grade during the 2016-2017 academic year. Nominations are submitted by a school faculty member or administrator and are limited to one nomination per school. The Rising Scientist Awards were created to not only recognize outstanding achievement in science, but to also nurture students’ love of science and encourage them to continue their research and study of the brain.

“The CUNY ASRC is committed to supporting young scientists in the New York City area,” said CUNY ASRC Deputy Executive Director Eric Shipp, PhD, MBA. “The Rising Scientist Awards, coupled with the opportunity to interact with prominent leaders at the Child Mind Institute’s On the Shoulders of Giants scientific symposium, are sure to make a tremendous impact in the lives of the five awardees. We are pleased to partner with the Child Mind Institute in the critical effort to cultivate passionate young scientists.”

Nominees will be reviewed by a panel of experts chaired by Dr. Ron Steingard, Senior Pediatric Psychopharmacologist, Associate Medical Director of the Child Mind Institute and Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Massachusetts. The following criteria will be used when considering nominees:

• Outstanding achievement in science, as evidenced by strong academic performance in science courses and strong participation in related extracurricular activities.
• A strong commitment to understanding and addressing difficult scientific questions, as evidenced by special projects, presentations and/or publications.
• Leadership abilities and interest in scientific research studies or independent research.
• Demonstrated a strong interest in scientific research in the field of child and adolescent mental health or pediatric neuroscience.

About The City University of New York’s Advanced Science Research Center

The City University of New York’s Advanced Science Research Center (ASRC) is a University-wide venture that elevates CUNY’s legacy of scientific research and education through initiatives in five distinctive, but increasingly interconnected disciplines: Nanoscience, Photonics, Structural Biology, Neuroscience and Environmental Sciences. The center is designed to promote a unique, interdisciplinary research culture with researchers from each of the initiatives working side by side in the ASRC’s core facilities, sharing equipment that is among the most advanced available.

About the Child Mind Institute

The Child Mind Institute is an independent, national nonprofit dedicated to transforming the lives of children and families struggling with mental health and learning disorders. Our teams work every day to deliver the highest standards of care, advance the science of the developing brain, and empower parents, professionals and policymakers to support children when and where they need it most. Together with our supporters, we’re helping children reach their full potential in school and in life. We share all of our resources freely and do not accept any funding from the pharmaceutical industry. Learn more at childmind.org.