ISCB Conference Awards for Scientists

The ISCB Conference Awards for Scientists (CASc) are available to biostatisticians from countries underdeveloped in clinical biostatistics, to provide financial support for their active attendance at the 2023 ISCB Annual Meeting and to present their original, previously unpublished research. Previously awarded applicants by the ISCB or previously awarded research by another scientific institution are therefore not eligible to apply for the 2023 ISCB CASc award. One may, of course, apply for an award in parallel with different scientific bodies, which is not a problem when submitting original research.

Up to three ISCB CASc awards may be granted in 2023. Applications are invited from all areas of biostatistics, including clinical and biomedical research, epidemiology, clinical pharmacology, vaccines research, hospital performance evaluation, survival analysis, causal inference, genomics and system biology, functional analysis, etc. However, applications with purely theoretical content or those involving mere routine data analyses are not encouraged.

The Society has decided to make the CASc competition attractive for eligible applicants. Consequently, for in-person participation in the conference, the 2023 CASc award will include the following:

1. Free registration to the Milan Conference
2. Free accommodation (paid and arranged by the Milan LOC)
3. Free registration to one pre-conference short course of the applicant’s choice
4. Invitation to the Milan Conference Dinner
5. Travel support (economy flights only)

The LOC will organize all of the above benefits other than travel, which must be arranged and paid for by the successful applicant: reimbursement will be made after the conference on production of appropriate receipts.

Links are available here for the guidelines for the CASc awards and the application form are given here. Scientists should carefully follow the application procedure described in the guidelines.

Applicants should submit their abstract (limited to 350 words) using the ISCB44 abstract submission system http://iscb2023.onlinecongress.it/ISCB44/scientific . As part of the online abstract submission you are asked to check the box that indicates that you are applying for the Conference Award for Scientists. Once the box is checked applicants will be asked to upload the documents described in the guidelines.

Applicants should not register for the conference until they have heard the outcome of their application for the CASc.  Unsuccessful applicants who still wish to attend the conference will remain eligible for the Early Bird rate until three weeks after the outcome of their application is sent to them: see guidelines for details.

The closing date for applications is the same as the general abstract deadline (March 31, 2023). If the latter is extended the CASc deadline is automatically extended to the same date.

Jindra Reissigová and Paola Rebora

Chair and Secretary of the ISCB National Groups Sub-committee

Contact E-mail:

reissigova@cs.cas.cz 

paola.rebora@unimib.it

ISCB STUDENT CONFERENCE AWARD

The Student Conference Award (StCA) is available for registered postgraduate students in biostatistics to attend and present a paper at the 44th Annual Conference of the International Society for Clinical Biostatistics, 27-31 August 2023, University of Milano-Bicocca Milan, Italy. Approximately three awards will be granted depending on the number and quality of the applications. Selection will be made on the basis of a summary of a paper to be presented, which should illustrate the application of statistical methodology to clinical or epidemiological research. Results of particular studies are of interest only if the analysis has methodological implications or shows a novel and interesting application of biostatistics.

Applicants should submit their abstract (limited to 350 words) using the ISCB44 abstract submission system http://iscb2023.onlinecongress.it/ISCB44/scientific . As part of the online abstract submission you are asked to check the box that indicates that you are applying for the 2023 Student Conference Award. Once the box is checked applicants will be asked to upload the documents described in the guidelines.

The closing date for applications is the same as the general abstract deadline (March 31, 2023). If the latter is extended the Student Conference Award deadline is automatically extended to the same date.

Links are available here for the guidelines for the Student Conference Award.

Applicants should not register for the conference until they have heard the outcome of their application for the Award.  Unsuccessful applicants who still wish to attend the conference will remain eligible for the Early Bird rate until three weeks after the outcome of their application is sent to them: see guidelines for details.

Procedures for Selection of Student Conference Award Winners

ELIGIBILITY:

(a) Any student registered for a postgraduate degree in biostatistics is eligible to apply for an ISCB Student Conference Award, provided s/he has not been the winner of a previous ISCB Student Conference Award.

(b) The application must relate to original work that has not yet been published and is predominantly the student’s own work. Acceptable topics encompass all areas of biostatistics, both methodological and applied. However, results of particular studies are of interest only if the analysis has methodological implications or shows a novel and interesting application of biostatistics to clinical or epidemiological research.

AWARDS:

• The StCA winners will have their papers scheduled in a dedicated session at the conference. Their status as Award Winners will be indicated in the Conference Programme.
• The ISCB will waive the registration fee and the fee for the Conference Dinner for the StCA winners, and will pre-pay their hotel accommodation. The ISCB will also pay for a pre-conference course for StCA winners. Excursions are not included in the award. Normally, it is expected that the StCA winners will pay for travel, which expenses will be reimbursed by ISCB, on the basis of appropriate receipts. Full travel costs will be reimbursed, provided that these are incurred economically and requested solely for attending the ISCB conference. Thus full advantage of Apex fares, student discounts and so on should be taken where possible. A reimbursement form will be distributed shortly before the conference.
• On being selected, a student must submit a travel budget to the StCA Subcommittee Chair by email to stca@iscb.info for approval. If it proves more economical to make a longer visit in order to secure bargain fares, the cost of extra accommodation and meals will be borne by the ISCB. Once a budget is approved, additional travel costs will be reimbursed only if a convincing case is made of their necessity
• In the case of hardship, advance payments will be considered. If for good reason a student has to cancel the trip to attend the Conference, then the ISCB will consider the reimbursement of costs incurred.

ISCB Conference Fund for Developing Countries

Financial support to participate in the 44^thAnnual Conference of the International Society for Clinical Biostatistics is available to scientists and students from Developing Countries (Low, Lower-middle, and Upper-middle income economies, according to the World Bank list for the fiscal year 2023): World Bank’s list.

In order to qualify, applicants must submit an abstract for either oral or poster presentation and be selected by the Scientific Program Committee (SPC) for presentation at ISCB44. Only original and unpublished work that has not been presented previously at a conference will be considered. One award per presentation for one author will be given, without transfer to co-authors. The awarded author’s primary place of employment/enrolment must be in a developing country. Please note that previous recipients are not eligible to apply.

Applicants should indicate their request for consideration for financial support from the Conference Fund for Developing Countries (CFDC) at the time of abstract submission by checking the appropriate tick-box. At that time, they should also submit a PDF of a letter of application (on the official letterhead of the institution where the applicant is enrolled/employed) via the submission site http://iscb2023.onlinecongress.it/ISCB44/scientific.

The evaluation and selection for the CFDC award will be based on the SPC’s decision regarding the abstracts for oral/poster presentation. This will be administered by the CFDC Sub-committee comprising Thomas Jaki  (ISCB Vice-President) as Chair, Elaine Pascoe (ISCB Secretary), and Laura Antolini (ISCB44 LOC representative).  Any enquiry should be submitted to iscb2023@promoest.com, indicating in the subject line that the enquiry relates to the CFDC.

Successful applicants who register for virtual participation will have the conference registration fee reimbursed. Those who register for on-site participation will receive funds up to 1300 EUR (at Sub-committee’s discretion) to cover the cost of the registration fee; travel (including any necessary COVID-19 tests); travel insurance; and accommodation. Note that travel insurance is obligatory and should cover not being able to travel due to COVID-19. In case of travel restrictions imposed by authorities (e.g., a country cancelling all flights) that may not be covered by the insurance, ISCB will reimburse the incurred travel costs. Note that all the costs can only be claimed after attendance and presentation at ISCB44 and by presenting appropriate receipts. If, after receiving the CFDC support, a change from on-site to virtual attendance is made by choice and not necessity, only the cost of the registration fee will be compensated.

The CFDC will be entirely separate from the Conference Award for Scientists (CASc) administered by the National Groups Sub-committee and from the Student Conference Awards (StCA) administered by the Student Conference Awards Sub-committee. Those who apply for CASc or StCA, but are not selected, will automatically be considered for CFDC support if they qualify, and will be informed accordingly.

The closing date for applications is the same as the general abstract deadline (March 31, 2023). If the latter is extended the CFDC deadline is automatically extended to the same date.