MAPS ECR Forum Awards 2026 – Applications Now Open

Early-career researchers (ECRs) are a valuable research community within the MAPS faculty. To recognise and celebrate the outstanding achievements and contributions made by the ECRs in various areas, the MAPS ECR Forum is very pleased to announce the following five award categories:

• Research Excellence Award
• Teaching Excellence Award
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Award
• Outreach and Communication Award
• Community Award

The prize for each award is a Love2Shop voucher worth £150.00. There will be one or two awards given for each category, and if we do not receive suitable high-quality applications for a specific category, no awards will be given for that category.

We only accept self-nominations, but we ask supervisors and line managers to encourage ECRs who they would recommend to apply. We will also ask for the name and email address of your supervisor or line manager so that when you win, we will let them know as well. You can only apply to one award category. 

Please find below details about each award category:

Research Excellence Award
Recognition for outstanding research while at UCL. Achievements made prior to joining UCL will not be eligible. Please provide evidence of how your research has contributed to your field of research or has made considerable positive impact on science, culture, society, or the wider world. 

Teaching Excellence Award
Recognition for making outstanding contributions to the learning experience and success of UCL students. Examples include, but are not limited to, activities to support students learning, innovative teaching methods, positive feedback received from students, etc.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Award
Recognition for exceptional work or contributions that individuals or teams make to progressing equality, diversity or inclusion practice within UCL. You can demonstrate how you have embedded EDI in your research or in delivering your project, or teaching, or more generally in promoting or actively involved in EDI in your immediate group, department or community.

Outreach and Communication Award
Recognition for extraordinary outreach work carried out by individuals or teams who inform, enthuse, and engage the public with their UCL research. Please provide evidence of your exceptional communications skills and how you have gone beyond the publication of your research papers and used innovative ways to communicate your research to the public in both an understandable and engaging way.

Community Award
Recognition of individuals or teams who do amazing things beyond the boundaries of specific roles and/or beyond the boundaries of UCL. Examples include, but are not limited to, volunteering, champions, contributing to Community of Practices, etc.

Who is eligible to apply?

• Current PhDs
• PDRAs, research fellows, lecturers (including teaching lecturers) who have no more than 6 years of postdoctoral research experience
• Technical staff who are at their early career stage
• Career breaks will be taken into consideration
• Applicants who did not win in previous years are welcome to re-apply.
• If you are applying as a team and your team includes colleagues from other universities, please only include UCL colleagues in your application.
• Those who are only visiting UCL cannot apply

How will your application be assessed? 
Your application will be reviewed by a panel comprising the Vice Dean Research, members from the MAPS ECR Forum and/or the MAPS Bank of Panelists. This diverse panel includes colleagues from across the MAPS faculty. Please ensure your contribution is explained in a way that is accessible to a general audience, clearly highlighting the impact of your work.

Application deadline: 
Friday 12 June 2026. We will try to notify applicants of the outcome within two weeks of the deadline.

How to apply?
Please complete the Application Form by the new deadline. Late applications will not be accepted.

How do I claim the Awards?
The Awards are in the form of Love2Shop e-vouchers and will be issued by email to the winners. 

Who to contact?
Please contact Cindy Li, MAPS Faculty Research Coordinator, at se.li@ucl.ac.uk if you have any queries. 

See winners and their achievements from previous years
MAPS Faculty ECR Forum Awards 2025 Winners 
MAPS Faculty ECR Forum Awards 2024 Winners   
MAPS Faculty ECR Forum Awards 2023 Winners 

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