Nomination Criteria

The Lillian Jean Kaplan International Prize for Advancement in the Understanding of Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD), recognizes individuals exhibiting excellence and leadership in PKD clinical or basic research whose seminal scientific work constitutes a tangible achievement toward improving the knowledge and treatment of PKD.

The following information must be provided via email to the Awards Coordinator during the nomination period of May to August of each year: 

• Nominator details: full name, ISN membership number, and contact information.
• Nominee details: full name (as listed in publications) and contact information.
• Nomination letter with supporting statement: a description of how and why the nominee’s work represents a major advance in the basic or clinical understanding of PKD, distinguishing aspects which set it apart from other work in the field and a summary of the nominee’s contribution; nomination letter may be signed by multiple signatories.
• Full curriculum vitae and bibliography of the nominee.
• Letter(s) of support: optional (no more than three).

Additional information:

• Only ISN members may nominate an individual.
• Previous winners of the Lillian Jean Kaplan Prize may only nominate one candidate per award cycle; however, they may support multiple candidates.
• Members of the current Kaplan Prize Advisory Committee may not formally nominate or support a candidate.
• Previous winners of the Hamburger, Richards, Robinson or Bywaters Awards are not eligible to be nominated.
• Members of the current ISN Executive Committee and Kaplan Prize Advisory Committee are not eligible to be nominated.
• Self-nominations are not accepted.
• The principles of ISN, including its Diversity Policy, are considered when selecting a winner.
• The winner is selected by the Kaplan Prize Advisory Committee: Committee Chair, Dr. Vicente Torres, two committee members selected by the PKD Foundation, and two ISN members.
• The winner must be approved by Mr. Kaplan and ISN’s Executive Committee and Council.
• The prize is presented during the World Congress of Nephrology by the ISN and the PKD Foundation.

If you have questions about ISN awards, require assistance with a nomination, or simply wish to suggest the name of a candidate, please contact the Awards Coordinator.

The Jean Hamburger Award recognizes outstanding research in nephrology with a clinical emphasis. The award was established in memory of Jean Hamburger, pioneer of clinical nephrology and founding president of the ISN.

The following information must be provided via email to the Awards Coordinator during the nomination period of May to August: 

• Nominator details: full name, ISN membership number, and contact information.
• Nominee details: full name (as listed in publications) and contact information.
• Nomination letter with supporting statement: explain why the nominee should receive the award; nomination letter may be signed by multiple signatories.
• Curriculum vitae of the nominee.
• Letter(s) of support: optional (no more than three).

Additional information:

• Only ISN members may nominate an individual.
• Previous winners of the Richards, Robinson, or Bywaters Awards or the Lillian Jean Kaplan Prize are not eligible to be nominated.
• Members of the current Awards Committee may not formally nominate a candidate; however, they may formally support a candidate (except the Committee Chair) and recuse themselves from deliberation about the corresponding award.
• Members of the current ISN Executive Committee are not eligible to be nominated.
• Members of the current Awards Committee (except the Committee Chair) are eligible to be nominated; however, they must recuse themselves from deliberations about the corresponding award.
• Self-nominations are not accepted.
• The principles of ISN, including its Diversity Policy, are considered when selecting the preferred candidate.
• The ISN Awards Committee, chaired by the ISN President, recommends the preferred candidate to ISN’s Executive Committee.
• The winner is decided by the ISN Executive Committee and approved by ISN Council.
• The winner is recognized during the World Congress of Nephrology.

If you have questions about ISN awards, require assistance with a nomination, or simply wish to suggest the name of a candidate, please contact the Awards Coordinator.

The Bywaters Award recognizes outstanding contributions made to the understanding of Acute Kidney Injury. The award was established in honor of Eric Bywaters, who described crush syndrome in the 1940s.

The following information must be provided via email to the Awards Coordinator during the nomination period of May to August: 

• Nominator details: full name, ISN membership number, and contact information.
• Nominee details: full name (as listed in publications), and contact information.
• Nomination letter with supporting statement: a description of how and why the nominee’s work contributes to productivity and scholarly advancement in the field of Acute Kidney Injury; nomination letter may be signed by multiple signatories.
• Full curriculum vitae and bibliography of the nominee.
• Letter(s) of support: optional (no more than three).

Additional information:

• Only ISN members may nominate an individual.
• Previous winners of the Hamburger, Richards, or Robinson Awards, or the Lillian Jean Kaplan Prize are not eligible to be nominated.
• Members of the current Awards Committee may not formally nominate a candidate; however, they may formally support a candidate (except the Committee Chair and Bywaters AKI expert advisor) and recuse themselves from deliberation about the corresponding award.
• Members of the current ISN Executive Committee are not eligible to be nominated.
• Members of the current Awards Committee (except the Committee Chair and Bywaters AKI expert advisor) are eligible to be nominated; however, they must recuse themselves from deliberations about the corresponding award.
• Self-nominations are not accepted.
• The principles of ISN, including its Diversity Policy, are considered when selecting the preferred candidate.
• The ISN Awards Committee, chaired by the ISN President, and the Bywaters AKI expert advisor recommend the preferred candidate to ISN’s Executive Committee.
• The winner is decided by the ISN Executive Committee and approved by ISN Council.
• The winner is recognized during the World Congress of Nephrology.

If you have questions about ISN awards or require assistance with a nomination, please contact the Awards Coordinator.

The Alfred Newton Richards Award recognizes outstanding basic research in fields relevant to nephrology. The award was established in memory of Alfred Newton Richards, who developed kidney tubule micro-puncture in his laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania where he served as chairman of pharmacology for over three decades.

The following information must be provided via email to the Awards Coordinator during the nomination period of May to August: 

• Nominator details: full name, ISN membership number, and contact information.
• Nominee details: full name (as listed in publications) and contact information.
• Nomination letter with supporting statement: explain why the nominee should receive the award; nomination letter may be signed by multiple signatories.
• Curriculum vitae of the nominee.
• Letter(s) of support: optional (no more than three).

Additional information:

• Only ISN members may nominate an individual
• Previous winners of the Hamburger, Bywaters, or Robinson Awards or the Lillian Jean Kaplan Prize are not eligible to be nominated.
• Members of the current Awards Committee may not formally nominate a candidate; however, they may formally support a candidate (except the Committee Chair) and recuse themselves from deliberation about the corresponding award.
• Members of the current ISN Executive Committee are not eligible to be nominated.
• Members of the current Awards Committee (except the Committee Chair) are eligible to be nominated; however, they must recuse themselves from deliberations about the corresponding award.
• Self-nominations are not accepted.
• The principles of ISN, including its Diversity Policy, are considered when selecting the preferred candidate.
• The ISN Awards Committee, chaired by the ISN President, recommends the preferred candidate to ISN’s Executive Committee.
• The winner is decided by the ISN Executive Committee and approved by ISN Council.
• The winner is recognized during the World Congress of Nephrology.

If you have questions about ISN awards, require assistance with a nomination, or simply wish to suggest the name of a candidate, please contact the Awards Coordinator.

The Roscoe R. Robinson Award acknowledges outstanding achievements in the field of education in nephrology and medicine. The award was established in memory of Roscoe ‘Ike’ Robinson, the internationally recognized physician, educator, and researcher, founding Editor of Kidney International, and past-president of the ISN.

The following information must be provided via email to the Awards Coordinator during the nomination period of May to August: 

• Nominator details: full name, ISN membership number, and contact information.
• Nominee details: full name (as listed in publications), and contact information.
• Nomination letter with supporting statement: explain why the nominee should receive the award; nomination letter may be signed by multiple signatories.
• Curriculum vitae of the nominee.
• Letter(s) of support: optional (no more than three).

Additional information:

• Only ISN members may nominate an individual.
• Previous winners of the Hamburger, Bywaters, or Richards Awards or the Lillian Jean Kaplan Prize, are not eligible to be nominated.
• Members of the current Awards Committee may not formally nominate a candidate; however, they may formally support a candidate (except the Committee Chair) and recuse themselves from deliberation about the corresponding award.
• Members of the current ISN Executive Committee are not eligible to be nominated.
• Members of the current Awards Committee (except the Committee Chair) are eligible to be nominated; however, they must recuse themselves from deliberations about the corresponding award.
• Self-nominations are not accepted.
• The principles of ISN, including its Diversity Policy, are considered when selecting the preferred candidate.
• The ISN Awards Committee, chaired by the ISN President, recommends the preferred candidate to ISN’s Executive Committee.
• The winner is decided by the ISN Executive Committee and approved by ISN Council.
• The winner is recognized during the World Congress of Nephrology.

If you have questions about ISN awards, require assistance with a nomination, or simply wish to suggest the name of a candidate, please contact the Awards Coordinator.

The ISN Pioneer Awards honor the ‘unsung heroes’ of nephrology: doctors who have made extraordinary efforts to advance nephrology in a specific country or region. Without their dedication, nephrology would be far behind its current state in their home country.

Individuals from countries designated as high-income by World Bank criteria for over five years (as of March of the nominating year) are not eligible for nomination, as the Pioneer Awards are restricted to individuals from non-high-income countries.

Eligible candidates:

• Born in a non-high-income country (low, lower-middle, or upper-middle-income country by World Bank criteria) and have worked in a non-high-income country for the majority of their career.
• Medically qualified.
• Not previously the recipient of an international award made by a major nephrology society.
• NOT a current member of the Core Programs Committee or active in current ISN leadership, i.e., Councilor, Regional Board Chair or Deputy Chair, or Executive Committee member.

The following information must be provided via email to the Awards Coordinator during the nomination period of May to August: 

• Nominator details: full name, ISN membership number, and contact information (nominator may be from any country/ISN region).
• Nominee details: full name (as listed in publications), country, and contact information.
• Nomination letter with supporting statement: explain why the nominee should receive the award; nomination letter may be signed by multiple signatories.
• Curriculum vitae of the nominee.
• Letter(s) of support: optional (no more than three).

Additional information:

• Only ISN members may nominate an individual.
• Self-nominations are not accepted.
• Posthumous nominations are not accepted.
• The Regional Boards provide recommendations to the Awards Coordinator.
• The ISN Core Programs Committee (CPC) considers the award criteria, Regional Boards’ recommendations, the principles of ISN, including its Diversity Policy, and independent review of the nomination materials to reach consensus on the preferred candidates.
• The ISN Executive Committee decides whether to accept the recommendations of preferred candidates from the CPC, and the ISN Council approves the final decisions.
• Awards are announced during WCN and presented during regional events throughout the corresponding World Congress of Nephrology year.

If you have questions about ISN awards, require assistance with a nomination, or simply wish to suggest the name of a candidate, please contact the Awards Coordinator.