The Rising Leaders in Global Health Award (formerly known as the Early Career Global Health Award) recognizes outstanding faculty and staff within the IGHS community who demonstrate emerging leadership, meaningful contributions to global health, and a commitment to advancing the mission and values of the UCSF Institute for Global Health Sciences (IGHS).
The award celebrates individuals who are making an impact through their work, collaboration, innovation, service, or leadership and who show strong potential to continue advancing the field of global health.
Eligibility
- Nominees must be early-career IGHS Core Investigators, IGHS UCSF Affiliates, or IGHS Global Affiliates.
- Before submitting a nomination, please confirm that your nominee is a current IGHS Core Investigator, UCSF Affiliate, or Global Affiliate by checking the IGHS Affiliates Directory or the Global Affiliate webpage.
- IGHS Affiliate Program Executive Committee members and trainees are not eligible for nomination.
- Self-nominations are not accepted.
Please read the FAQs for additional guidance on the definition of early career.
Nomination & Selection Process
- Nominations must be submitted through this online form by Monday, September 21 by 12:00 PM PT
- We ask that only one nomination be submitted for each nominee. If multiple people would like to nominate or support the same individual, please coordinate and submit a single nomination together. One person may serve as the lead nominator, and additional supporters may contribute to the nomination and/or provide an additional letter of support.
- Individuals may nominate more than one person, but a separate nomination form must be completed for each nominee.
All eligible nominations will be reviewed based on the award criteria. Award recipient(s) will be selected by the IGHS Advisory Council.
Please complete the Nomination Form to nominate an eligible individual for the 2026 Rising Leaders in Global Health Award.
In accordance with Federal and State law and University policy, the University of California does not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, health, or disability. For detailed information, please visit the Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination.
Past Early Career Award Recipients
- Marissa Boeck and Tyler Law
- Schola Matovu
- David B. Bayne, MD, MPH
- Lakshmi Gopalakrishnan, PhD
- Lia Jacobson, MD
- Hamid Sharifi, PhD, DVM
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who is eligible for the Rising Leaders in Global Health Award?
Current IGHS Core Investigators, IGHS UCSF Affiliates, and IGHS Global Affiliates who meet the award’s early-career criteria are eligible. Both faculty and staff may be nominated.
Who is not eligible?
IGHS Affiliate Program Executive Committee members and trainees are not eligible. Self-nominations are also not accepted.
How is “early career” defined?
We generally follow the NIH definition of an Early-Stage Investigator.
In brief, an early-career individual is someone who completed their terminal research degree or postgraduate clinical training, whichever occurred later, within the past 10 years and who has not previously competed successfully as PD/PI for a substantial independent research award, such as an NIH R01 or equivalent extramural award.
For faculty nominees, this will typically correspond to the assistant professor level or below.
Can more than one person nominate the same individual?
We ask that only one nomination be submitted for each nominee. If multiple people would like to support the same individual, please coordinate on a single nomination. One person may serve as the lead nominator and complete the online form, while additional supporters may contribute to the nomination and/or submit a letter through the optional “Additional Letter of Support” section.
Can I nominate more than one person?
Yes. An individual may nominate multiple eligible candidates. A separate nomination form must be completed for each nominee.
How do I confirm that someone is a current IGHS Affiliate?
Before submitting a nomination, please confirm that your nominee is a current IGHS Core Investigator, IGHS UCSF Affiliate, or IGHS Global Affiliate. You can verify their affiliate status by searching the IGHS Affiliates Directory or the Global Affiliates page.