BMB Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Scholar Awards Applications
Contact information for questions:
BMB Awards Committee Chair (Spring 2026) Kristin Parent kparent@msu.edu
BMB Academic Program Coordinator Jessica Lawrence jesslaw@msu.edu
BMB offers five graduate student awards and two postdoctoral scholar awards. All are faculty-nominated awards. Eligibility requirements are provided in each of the award descriptions. Applications for these awards are also provided below.
GRADUATE STUDENT AWARD DESCRIPTIONS
Outstanding Graduate Student Award – given to a BMB student in their final year of study
Outstanding Graduate Student Research Award – given to a student that has successfully passed a PhD exam
Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award – given to a student that excels at teaching (can be a BMB student in any course,
or any program affiliation that teaches a BMB course).
Jack Throck Watson Graduate Fellowship - preference to students that use mass spectrometry
Dr. Richard U. and Claire M. Byerrum Endowed Fellowship – for attracting and retaining graduate students (they do not need to have passed prelim)
Willis Wood Award – NEW award given for research innovation in BMB. Undergraduates, graduates, and
postdocs are eligible and encouraged to apply. Innovation in BMB can be BMB students
or non BMB students in a BMB mentor’s lab.
Outstanding Postdoctoral Scholar Award – within 5 years of PhD, can extend to 8 years for unusual circumstances
POSTDOCTORAL SCHOLAR AWARD DESCRIPTIONS
Oustanding Postdoctoral Scholar Award
Clarence Suelter Endowed Postdoctoral Fellowship Award
New in 2022, this award is open to any postdoctoral researcher (received PhD within
the last five years) working in a BMB faculty member's laboratory. The award will
recognize outstanding postdoctoral accomplishments and also encourage and support
career development. In addition to a $3,000 award to the recipient, up to $5,000 will
be made available for a career development opportunity. Career development activities
may include: intensive training courses, workshops on teaching, career coaching fees,
and other opportunities that a PI would not be expected to fund.
The application process for the Clarence Suelter Award is:
Prepare a CV along with an essay describing how the selected opportunity will advance
your career goals. A single pdf should be submitted to the awards chair, kparent@msu.edu by Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
Once a recipient is selected for the award, the PI of the postdoctoral fellow must sign an acknowledgement stating the additional career development will be supported, as it will take time away from the postdoctoral fellow’s main lab duties. It is a good idea to discuss this ahead of time with your PI.
GRADUATE STUDENT AND POSTDOCTORAL SCHOLAR AWARD APPLICATIONS
Notice: The application period for these awards will open on February 9, 2026 and will remain open until 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
BMB Graduate Student Award Application Spring 2026
BMB Postdoctoral Scholar Award Application Spring 2026