Home Members Only Search About Us Store FASEB Member Directory

 the-aps.org>awards>student awards
advertising
awards
careers and mentoring
chapters
committees
education
meetings
membership
news archives
press room
public affairs
publications
sections and groups
sites of interest
trainees

9560 rockville pike, bethesda, MD 20814-3991
 

 


David S. Bruce Awards for Excellence in Undergraduate Research

APS AWARDEE RESPONSIBILITIES AND TAX RULES

2010 Awardees                  2010 Finalists
2009 Awardees                  2009 Finalists
2008 Awardees                  2008 Finalists
2007 Awardees                  2007 Finalists
2006 Awardees                  2006 Finalists
2005 Awardees                  2005 Finalists
2004 Awardees                  2004 Finalists

Deadlines for Application Submission
November 4, 2009 EB abstract deadline
January 11, 2010 application deadline

Bruce Award Support
APS is pleased to provide support for the Bruce Awards. In 2010, additional support was received from Dr. Isis, her ScienceBlogs readers, and SEED Magazine for two outstanding female undergraduate awards.

To Apply
Go to http://www.the-aps.org/awardapps for online application
Information on the Experimental Biology meeting and abstract deadline

The David S. Bruce Awards are to recognize excellence in undergraduate research. They will be made each year at the Experimental Biology meeting to undergraduate students who have both submitted abstracts for the meeting and award application materials. Abstracts will be reviewed by the David S. Bruce Award Committee prior to the Experimental Biology (EB) meeting. The Education Committee will select finalists for interviewing. These students will be notified of their finalist status well in advance of the meeting.

The finalists will be asked to set up their posters one morning of the meeting and will be interviewed by the Bruce Award Subcommittee. After the interviews, the Committee will determine the final awardees. The awardees will receive $500 awards. All finalists will receive award certificates. At EB, all undergraduate students will be invited to present their research posters not only during their regular scientific session but also at a special poster session. Finalists will be honored and awardees will be announced at that poster session (usually on Sunday afternoon).

David Bruce (1939 – 2000) served as Chair of the APS Teaching Section and as a professor of physiology at Wheaton College from 1978-2000. Dr. Bruce was a dedicated physiology educator who played active roles in both the APS and the Human Anatomy and Physiology Society. As an undergraduate educator at Wheaton College, Dr. Bruce had a particular interest in engaging undergraduate students in scientific research. He not only encouraged and supported his students in participating in research, but he also regularly brought undergraduate students to the Experimental Biology meeting, often to present their research findings. In 2000, Dr. Bruce died at the age of 61 of complications following a kidney transplant. The David Bruce Award honors Dr. Bruce's commitment to promoting undergraduate involvement in research, in the APS annual meeting, and, ultimately, in research careers.

Eligibility

Applicants for the David S. Bruce Award must:

  1. Be enrolled as an undergraduate student at the time of the application.

  2. Be the first author on a submitted abstract for the EB meeting. Students may not submit more than one abstract for the award competition each year. 

  3. Be working with an APS member in good standing who attests that the student is deserving of the first authorship.

  4. Have not previously won the David S. Bruce Award.

  5. Upload a one-page letter that discusses his/her role in the research, the significance of the research, and his/her career plans.

  6. Request  a recommendation letter from your research advisor to be uploaded that includes a statement that you were deserving of first authorship.

Review Criteria for Abstracts

Abstracts and student letters will serve as the basis for selection of the finalists. Review criteria include the following:

  1. The abstract displays a clear logic and flow of ideas.

  2. The scientific problem includes a clear hypothesis to be tested, a well-described approach to the problem using clear experimental methods or model.

  3. The results of the study are presented succinctly.

  4. The discussion and/or conclusions are concise and follow logically from the results presented.

  5. The student’s letter indicates that s/he played a significant role in the research, has an understanding of the significance of the research, and has some interest in a biomedical and/or physiology-related career.

  6. The research advisor's recommendation letter.

Review Criteria for Poster Presentations

The Award Committee will interview the finalists during the special undergraduate poster session. The Awards Committee will consider:

  1. Quality of the poster and oral presentation.

  2. Quality of graphics used.

  3. Organization of the poster.

  4. Creativity used in displaying and describing the research as well as in the development of the research project.

  5. Novelty of the research project.

  6. Student display of his/her understanding of the work and its significance.