Stroke Council Abstract Travel Grant and the Bernard J. Tyson Career Development Award

• Applicant must be active in Stroke research, demonstrate interest in stroke research and/or clinical care, and in training stage (college, post-graduate program) or and within 10 years of completion of terminal degree or highest certificate (e.g., MSc, PhD), or within 10 years of completing medical fellowship or residency, as of the award application date. Undergraduate students, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, instructors, and research associates are welcome to apply.
• Candidates who have received their training in educational settings or are practicing in institutions with limited research experience, funding or mentorship, or have/had no parents or legal guardians who completed a bachelor’s degree or have/had financial hardship are encouraged to apply.
• Applicants must be members of the Stroke Council. Your council affiliation will be validated during the application process. Please note that membership processing may take 3–5 days; do not wait until the proposal deadline to Join or Renew.
• Eligible applicants: Individuals who have faced special personal challenges or obstacles to their careers, for example:
  
  • Were or currently are homeless.
  • Were or currently are in the foster care system.
  • Were eligible for the Federal Free and Reduced Lunch Program for two or more years.
  • Have/had no parents or legal guardians who completed a bachelor’s degree (PDF).
  • Were or currently are eligible for Federal Pell grants.

• Applicants must submit a previously unpublished abstract in accordance with the Association’s rules and regulations for submitting abstracts to the International Stroke Conference.
• The presenting author of an accepted abstract must be registered for the International Stroke Conference and must be able to present the abstract at the International Stroke Conference in person, either in an oral abstract session or a poster session. If the applicant is unable to present the abstract, he/she will be disqualified.
• Applicants may apply for a travel stipend multiple times with different abstracts, as long as the applicant is the presenting author on each abstract. However, an applicant is eligible to receive only one award or travel stipend, even if multiple abstracts are accepted to the International Stroke Conference.
• Each applicant for council-sponsored awards, regardless of award category, is eligible to receive only one council-sponsored award per Association meeting per year. (For example, an Early Career Investigator Award finalist will not be eligible to receive a travel stipend for the same conference.)
• Winners of the current year’s International Stroke Conference awards or travel stipends are not eligible for consideration.
• Winners of this travel stipend are not eligible to apply in subsequent years.
• Applicants must adhere to the Association's Embargo Policy.
• The work covered by the abstract must not have been presented at a national or international meeting or world congress before the date and time of presentation at the International Stroke Conference. The abstract must comply with the Abstract Submission Guidelines.
• Notwithstanding the above, the Association's Officers have the discretion to determine eligibility for the award in extraordinary circumstances when there is an issue relating to policy, positions or other potentially controversial issue relating to the positioning or perception of the Association.

Applications will be assessed using the:

• Candidate’s statement
• CV and bibliography,
• Scientific quality of the abstract
• Supervisor's letter outlining the institutional resources available to support the candidate (or the absence of such resources.)

Submission of an abstract by the abstract deadline is required, and the abstract’s scientific quality is evaluated as part of the award review. Abstract acceptance for meeting presentation occurs through a separate review process and is not required for award consideration.

• August 18, 2026, 9 a.m. (CDT) – Deadline to submit an abstract to the International Stroke Conference 2026.
• August 26, 2026 – Deadline to have an active professional membership with the Stroke Council. Please note that membership processing may take 3-5 days; do not wait until the proposal deadline to Join or Renew.
• August 28, 2026, 6 p.m. (CDT) – Deadline to apply for this award in the Council Awards Application System.
• October – Applicants are notified of their award status (selected or not selected). Only those with an accepted abstract will be considered for selection.

Electronic submission through the Council Awards Application System is mandatory. Hard copies of any part of the application will not be accepted.

Your application file should contain the following documents in PDF format:

• Candidate Curriculum Vitae and Bibliography
• Abstract: A copy of the abstract submitted for presentation at the International Stroke Conference, in accordance with the Association's rules and regulations. The candidate must be the first and presenting author on the abstract. Please note the abstract control number received after submission, as it will be required on your award application form.
• Letter of Support: Original letter on electronic letterhead, signed by the candidate’s supervisor or an appropriate institutional officer, indicating the applicant’s status as a pre-graduate or graduate student, postdoctoral fellow, instructor, or research fellow. The letter should also outline the institutional resources available to support the candidate (or the absence of such resources), and scientific quality of the abstract. No additional references are required.
• Candidate Statement: A 1-page candidate statement detailing what this award would mean for you and your career and briefly describing currently available resources at your disposition for your career advancement. Please include any challenges or obstacles that you may have experienced in your career.

Visit the Council Awards Application System to complete an application.

A username and password previously set up through online registration at Professional Heart Daily (PHD) will be necessary to access the Application System. Professional Members who are creating an online profile for the first time should make sure to register using their Heart Association membership identification numbers.

An active Professional Membership is required at the time of application. Applicants who are joining the American Heart Association to apply for this award must wait to receive their member number from Member Services (via e-mail) before creating an online profile or beginning an application.

New members should join the Association at least 2-3 days before the application submission deadline to allow sufficient time for the membership number to be processed and delivered. The membership number is required to complete the award application.

1. Click the link for the Council Awards Application System.
2. Sign in with your Professional Heart Daily username and password.
3. Follow these instructions to set up your profile in ProposalCentral. Setting up your ProposalCentral profile will only need to be done the first time you login to apply for an American Heart Association Council Awards. Please note that the grant maker named American Heart Association is for the Research Awards and is a separate log in.
4. To apply for award, follow these steps:
   • Create New Proposal: Start by selecting "Create New Proposal."
   • Filter by Grant Maker: Choose "American Heart Association Council Awards."
   • Select Program: From the Programs list, select "International Stroke Conference Abstract Travel Stipend."
   • Apply Now: Click the "Apply Now" button.
   • Choose Award: Within the application, select "Stroke Council Abstract Travel Stipend and the Bernard J. Tyson Career Development Award."

For more detailed information on ProposalCentral, also included are additional materials on specific ProposalCentral functionality.

• How to Create an Application in ProposalCentral (PDF)
• How to Register a ProposalCentral User (PDF)
• How To Add Publications in ProposalCentral (PDF)

Up to 5 candidates from the pool of eligible applicants may be awarded.

Each winner will receive:

• One (1) complimentary ticket to the ISC Member Welcome Reception and the Bernard J. Tyson Career Development Award Reception. Attendance at the International Stroke Conference and the council hosted events are mandatory and will be verified before the travel stipend is awarded.
• $1,500 travel stipend

Winners will be notified in October and will be required to pay their registration for the meeting. In addition to the travel stipend, winners will receive a Bernard J. Tyson Career Development Award. This award provides those selected with the opportunity to be paired with a Stroke Council Early Career Committee member to help them navigate the International Stroke Conference. They will also be invited to participate in one year of mentorship with a science leader in the field and to networking and engagement opportunities.