The Rainwater Prize - Innovative Early-Career Scientists Grant

The Rainwater Prize recognizes exceptional early-career scientists focusing on neurodegenerative diseases, particularly tauopathies. Nominees, within 10 years of PI appointment, are evaluated by a committee of international leaders based on their achievements and commitment to the field. The award includes a $200K prize to support further research.

NOTE: Nominees will be considered through either a self or peer nomination process for published peer-reviewed neurodegenerative disease research, applicable to tauopathies.
Launched in 2018, the Rainwater Prize Program was designed with the goals of:

• Increasing awareness of critical gaps in neurodegenerative research
• Attracting and retaining researchers to work on tauopathies
• Awarding scientific achievements that lead to new treatments for patients.
• Innovative Early-Career Scientists

This prize is intended to reward outstanding achievements of a scientist either as a first author or senior author on published neurodegenerative disease research findings. This prize aims to support exceptionally productive scientists who are in the early formative stages of their academic career (within 10 years of PI appointment) and who plan to make a long-term career commitment to research aligned with the mission areas of the Rainwater Charitable Foundation. Nominees will be considered through either a self or peer nomination process for published peer-reviewed neurodegenerative disease research, applicable to tauopathies. Awardees will be chosen by a committee of international scientific leaders from a wide range of fields and backgrounds.
The awardee will be chosen based on their scientific contributions, leadership, mentorship, and overall contributions to the scientific community. This award will consist of a $200K prize. While it is our hope that the prize money will be used to further the recipient’s research in neurodegenerative disease, the prize recipient will only be able to use the funds for non-profit purposes.

Eligibility

This prize aims to support exceptionally productive scientists who are in the early formative stages of their academic career (within 10 years of PI appointment) and who plan to make a long-term career commitment to research aligned with the mission areas of the Rainwater Charitable Foundation.