Early Career Investigator Award
The Addiction Health Services Research (AHSR) Conference 2026 will honor outstanding early career professionals and junior investigators during the conference taking place October 5–7, 2026, in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Early Career Investigator Award recognizes scholars who have demonstrated strong early achievements and exceptional promise for making meaningful future contributions to health services research focused on substance use conditions.
DEADLINE TO APPLY: Friday, April 17, 2026
Learn More:
This award continues AHSR’s long-standing commitment to supporting and celebrating the next generation of researchers in the field. Each award recipient will receive a nominal financial award to help offset the cost of attending the conference.
The Early Career Investigator Award encourages applications from emerging researchers who bring a broad range of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives to biomedical, clinical, behavioral, and health services research. Individuals whose personal or professional experiences inform their work, including those with lived experience related to their research or individuals with disabilities, are encouraged to apply.
The deadline to apply for the Early Career Investigator Award coincides with the abstract submission deadline, Friday, April 17, 2026.
Awardees will be notified in summer 2026 and recognized during the AHSR Conference.
Eligibility:
- Must be the lead and presenting author on a submitted abstract to AHSR 2026. Selection for the Early Career Investigator Award is conditional on abstract acceptance.
- Must be a student in training (undergraduate, master, or doctoral student) or a researcher (post-doctoral fellow, research scientist, faculty) within 5 years of receiving their terminal degree. For MDs, must be within 5 years of completing residency. Individuals outside of academia are also welcome to apply as long as they are within 5 years of receiving their highest degree.
- Must not be the PI/Co-PI/MPI of an NIH R01 project or equivalent.
- Previous AHSR Early Career Investigator awardees are not eligible.
Review Criteria:
- Submitted abstract demonstrates scientific rigor and significant implications for health care delivery and outcomes for people with substance use conditions.
- Applicant demonstrates commitment to a career in health services research for substance use conditions as evidenced by ongoing or completed training in related fields and research activities so far.
- Applicant demonstrates potential for a high-impact research career as evidenced by contributions made to the field compatible with the stage of career development.
- Applicant demonstrates engagement in additional activities in research, policy, service, and/or education that advances health care delivery and outcomes for people with substance use conditions.