Stroke Council Mid-Career Achievement Award

• All applicants for the award must be members of the Stroke Council by the time of application submission. If you need to become an American Heart Association Professional Member, you should do so before submitting your award application materials. Join or renew today!.
• Eligible candidates include PhDs and/or MDs who are still within 5–20 years after their first faculty appointment, as of the award application date.
• Previous awardees are not eligible to re-apply for the award in subsequent years.
• Each recipient of council-sponsored awards, regardless of award category, is eligible to receive only one council-sponsored award each year per scientific meeting.
• Past recipients of the Stroke Award and Lecture are not eligible for this award.
• Notwithstanding the above, Heart Association Officers have the discretion to determine eligibility for the award in extraordinary circumstances when there is an issue relating to policy or positions or other potentially controversial issue relating to the positioning or perception of the Association.

Applications will be evaluated by a panel of accomplished researchers, scientists, clinicians, and academicians, representing the breadth of basic cardiovascular sciences.

• Policies and Guiding Values
• Code of Ethics
• Peer Reviewer Certification Statement (PDF)

Contacting the judging panel, including but not limited to phone calls, emails, social media messages, or any other form of communication, before submitting your application or during the review process will result in disqualification.

Applications will be judged on the following:

• Adherence to eligibility criteria
• Completeness and quality of application materials
• The nominee’s background, accomplishments, and overall contributions to the field of stroke.

• August 26, 2026 – Deadline to have an active Professional Membership with the Stroke Council.
• August 28, 2026, 6 p.m. (CDT) – Deadline to apply for this award in the Council Awards Application System.
• September 2026 – Nominators will be notified of their application status.

The following items must be submitted through the Council Awards Application System for consideration for this award:

• A full Curriculum vitae, including all publications (abstracts not necessary)
• A signed letter of nomination from the sponsor. The letter should outline why the candidate is worthy of recognition. This may include the candidate’s accomplishments in the field of cerebrovascular disease, his or her volunteer activities with the American Heart Association (affiliate and/or national level), teaching and mentoring activities, or a combination of these.
• One Letter of recommendation.

Members of the Stroke Council Nominating Committee are not eligible for the award during their terms of service and may not write letters of support.

Visit the Council Awards Applicant System Instructions page to apply or submit a nomination.

Once logged in, you may apply for the International Stroke Conference Mid-Career Achievement Awards and Lectures and select the Stroke Mid-Career Achievement Award and Lecture from the award drop-down list.

• Complimentary registration to International Stroke Conference 
• An engraved plaque
• $1,000 honorarium
• $1,000 travel stipend