ISBE Early Career Award

How to apply

The ISBE Early Career Award seeks to recognize early career researchers for their outstanding contributions to the field of behavioural ecology through their published research. This award seeks to celebrate the achievement of diverse early career researchers making valuable, robust and transparent contributions to behavioural ecology.

Contributions to the field of behavioral ecology will be assessed using the journal website’s definition of Behavioural Ecology: “Behavioral Ecology construes the field in its broadest sense to include 1) the use of ecological and evolutionary processes to explain the occurrence and adaptive significance of behavior patterns; 2) the use of behavioral processes to predict ecological patterns, and 3) empirical, comparative analyses relating behavior to the environment in which it occurs.” 

Contributions will be assessed based on 3 published peer-reviewed research papers and preprints, prioritising quality over quantity.

2-3 awards will be given per call. The awardees will be invited to attend the ISBE meeting and present a highlighted talk in a special symposium for Early Career Award recipients from the previous 2 years, with travel and registration paid by the society (up to some maximum). 

Who can apply:

  • Applicants must have completed their PhD or equivalent by the application deadline AND have completed their PhD no more than 5 years before the deadline.

  • This 5-year limit can be extended based on official leave, employment breaks, illness disability, national service and/or significant caring responsibilities during the 5 years since completing their PhD:

    • Maternity: 18 months extension for each child born or adopted before or after the PhD award. If the applicant can document a longer maternity leave, the eligibility period will be extended by the documented amount of actual leave taken until the call deadline.

    • Paternity and other caring responsibilities: extension by the amount of time of leave taken before or after the PhD award for each child born or adopted and/or other significant dependent care (e.g., partners, family members, loved ones).

    • Long-term illness, disability, or national service: extension by the amount of leave taken by the applicant for the award until the deadline for each incident that occurred after the PhD award date.

    • Unemployment, part-time employment, and employment outside the field: extension by the amount of time not employed in the field, which occurred after the PhD award date.

  • Applicants must be current ISBE members.

How to apply:

Eligible applicants should apply directly by using this Google form below and providing the information detailed below.

Apply here



  • Applicants will be asked to provide

    • PDF files of the 3 published papers selected by the applicant. Authors should submit first-author papers, if available. Non-first-author papers can only be included if the applicant has not published 3 first-author papers. Applicants can consider submitting one preprint instead of a published paper while noting that peer-reviewed work is preferred. 

    • One 500-word description about the 3 papers they chose to submit for consideration. This summary should highlight the significance of this work to the field of behavioural ecology (as defined above) as well as the connection among the three papers. This description should also mention the contribution of the applicant to these papers.

    • Web links to open datasets used in each of the three papers. The journal Behavioral Ecology’s guidelines for data availability will be used. If datasets were not uploaded at the time of publishing the selected papers, uploading them so that they are publicly available before application submission is acceptable.  

    • A diversity statement of 150 words (please see the form for further details).

  • Applicants will be asked to confirm their eligibility based on either being within the 5-year limit or having eligible extensions based on the criteria above. Documentation will not be required.

  • Applicants will be asked to confirm that they have been and will continue to follow the ISBE code of conduct/ethics and that they are aware that being found in violation of ISBE ethics and code of conduct will make them ineligible for the award.

How applications will be evaluated:

An award coordination committee consisting of 3-4 ISBE councillors will coordinate the application evaluation and selection process. Applications will first be screened for completeness and scope. Each application will be assessed for research quality and contribution to behavioural ecology by three reviewers. Award selections will be based on research quality and contribution to behavioural ecology while addressing the goal of recognising diversity.

For any questions, please e-mail us at: isbe.eca@gmail.com