Deadline for nominations: May 1 of each year.
This award honors the memory of Dr. Margaret Dayhoff, former President of the Biophysical Society, Professor of Biophysics at Georgetown University, and Director of Research at the National Biomedical Research Foundation. Presented each year at the Annual Meeting of the Biophysical Society, the award includes an honorarium of $2,000.

The Margaret Oakley Dayhoff Award is given to a woman who holds very high promise or has achieved prominence while developing the early stages of a career in biophysical research within the purview and interest of the Biophysical Society. Achievement means that the candidate has already published substantial contributions to science; promise means that the candidate shows indications of leadership in ideas, organization, or other ways manifest for her colleagues within the scientific community. A candidate who has already received university tenure by the due date on nomination is not eligible. A candidate having a PhD or equivalent degree shall be eligible until she has completed 10 years of full-time work following the degree. A candidate with a Baccalaureate degree but without a PhD shall have 12 years of eligibility. Time taken off for child-rearing will not be counted in this total. Part-time work and other special circumstances will be evaluated at the discretion of the Committee. Candidates who work in non-academic environments are eligible if their work is published, meets academic standards, and they do not have tenure equivalency. 
Download Society Award Nomination Form

Eligibility:

• Nominee must be a woman who holds very high promise or has achieved prominence while developing the early stages of a career in biophysical research. 
• Nominee must be a member of the Society in good standing.
• Nominator must submit completed Nomination Form and required documents.

Nomination packets must include the following:

1. Completed Award Nomination Form.
2. The most important item is a nominator’s letter with a personal recommendation. The letter should be no more than 4 pages, in a style similar to that supporting a promotion, and should comment as specifically as possible on:
   • Overall scientific program and publications of the nominee with an evaluation of her specific contributions; 
   • Contributions of the nominee, especially those not apparent in her publications;
   • Characteristics of the nominee indicating leadership and potential.
3. Two supporting letters.
4. Nominee’s curriculum vitae, including honors previously received.
5. A publications list. Please attach a set of 3 papers  that illustrate the merits of the nominee's contributions to science. 
6. Include any personal hardship or other obstacle that has prevented the nominee from advancing at a normal rate including, but not limited to, family responsibilities or severely disadvantaged background. Please include your estimate of the number of years of extension appropriate to the circumstances. The judging standards will be the same for all nominees but the eligibility period may be extended with the agreement of the committee.

Email Nomination packet to: society@biophysics.org
 

Current Awardees

2010	Crina Nimigean, Weill Medical College, Cornell University Maria Spies, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

Past Awardees

2009	Teresa Giraldez, Unidad de Investigacion HUNSC Adrienne L. Fairhall, University of Washington Jin Zhang, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
2008	Judith Klein-Seetharaman, University of Pittsburgh School of medicine
2007	Kalina Hristova, Johns Hopkins University
2006	Anne Hinderliter, North Dakota State University
2005	Sarah Keller, University of Washington
2004	Dorothee Kern, Brandeis University
2003	Hao Wu, Cornell University, Weill Medical College
2002	Gina MacDonald, James Madison University
2001	Millie M. Georgiadis, University of Chicago; Ka Yee Christina Lee, University of Chicago
2000	Millie M. Georgiadis, University of Chicago; Ka Yee Christina Lee, University of Chicago Lydia Gregoret, University of California
1999	Lydia Gregoret, University of California
1998/99	Judith R. Mourant, Los Alamos National Laboratory
1997/98	Bonnie Anne Berger, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
1996/97	Susan Marqusee, University of California, Berkeley
1995/96	Lynne Regan, Yale University
1994/95	Hillary C. M. Nelson, University of Pennsylvania
1993/94	Jean S. Baum, Rutgers University
1992/93	Carol Vandenberg, University of California, Santa Barbara
1991/92	Hazel M. Holden, University of Wisconsin; Francine R. Smith, University of North Carolina
1990/91	Jeanne Rudzki Small, Oregon State University
1989/90	Anne Walter, Wright State University
1988/89	Nancy L. Thompson, University of North Carolina
1987/88	Rachel Klevit, University of Washington
1986/87	Barbara E. Ehrlich, University of Connecticut Health Center
1985/86	Barbara A. Lewis, Oak Ridge National Laboratories & University of Tennessee
1984/85	Dagmar Ringe, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Bonnie Ann Wallace, Columbia University