About the Award
Overview of the award
The GSRNet Breakthrough Award honors an individual (or, in exceptional cases, a team) whose research has produced a major conceptual and/or methodological contribution, supported by a substantial body of peer-reviewed work, and with clear influence on how the field thinks, measures, or intervenes in stress and resilience. The recipient’s scholarship should reflect scientific rigor, excellence, and integrity, and serve as an inspiration to the community.
A “major contribution” refers to a field-shaping conceptual insight, methodological innovation, or translational/clinical advance, supported by peer-reviewed work, with demonstrable impact on how stress/resilience is studied, measured, or addressed (e.g., broad adoption, replication, influence on standards/guidelines, practice change, policy and/or innovation).
“The GSRNet Breakthrough Award recognizes outstanding researchers whose rigorous and influential work has advanced our understanding of stress and resilience and inspired the scientific community”
Eligibility criteria
Eligibility criteria
Eligibility for the award requires that the nominee has made a breakthrough contribution to the study of stress or resilience. The nominee does not need to be a GSRNet member, and any GSRNet member may submit one nomination, including self-nominations. Members of the GSRNet Steering Committee are not eligible to receive the award during their term, and past recipients cannot be nominated again. Joint nominations are permitted when the contributions are clearly collaborative and inseparable. The award is open to nominees at all career stages.
Nomination process
Nomination process
Nominations for the GSRNet Breakthrough Award 2027 must be submitted by a GSRNet member. Members may nominate a colleague or themselves. The complete nomination package must be compiled into a single PDF and submitted via email to info@gsr-net.org.
Submission deadline: 30 June 2026 (17:00 CET)
Nominations must include:
Nominator details (if different from the nominee)
full name, institutional affiliation, email address, and relationship to the nominee (e.g., collaborator, mentor, independent colleague).
Nominee details
full name, institutional affiliation, and contact information.
Contribution summary (max. 500 words)
a concise statement describing the nominee’s key contributions and why they constitute a breakthrough for the field.
List of selected outputs
up to 10 key publications and/or major research outputs relevant to the breakthrough (with DOIs, links).
Recognizing Impact
Award Winners
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2025 Breakthrough Award Recipient
James L. McGaugh
USA
Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of California, Irvine
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2024 Breakthrough Award Recipient
Marian Joëls
The Netherlands
Emeritus Professor at the University of Groningen
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2024 Breakthrough Award Recipient
Ron de Kloet
The Netherlands
Emeritus Professor at Leiden University