Thank you for your submission!

We are seeking nominations for the JNM Rising Stars in Nuclear Materials Special Issue and Prize. The aim of this initiative is to recognize the accomplishments and promise of researchers in the early stages of their independent careers and draw international attention to the work they are doing. We encourage nominations from underrepresented groups and regions within the community.

  • Researchers who have a Mini-review published as part of the initiative will receive a JNM Rising Stars certificate and their Mini-review will be promoted globally.
  • There will be up to two recipients of the overall prize of $1,000 who will also be invited to join the Editorial Board of the Journal of Nuclear Materials.

For more information on the Journal of Nuclear Materials please visit: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-nuclear-materials/

Who is eligible?

  • Candidates active in all areas covered by the Journal of Nuclear Materials.
  • Candidates should be within 10 years of completing their PhD, but consideration is given to career breaks from academia or other extenuating circumstances (for example, but not limited to, working part-time, caring for dependents, etc.). They should be undertaking their own independent research which can be evidenced by, e.g. setting up a lab, publishing as main author, or having received grant funding as a PI.
  • The work undertaken by the candidate must have the potential to influence future research directions in nuclear materials. This will be determined by the Senior Editors of the Journal of Nuclear Materials.

How will candidates be selected?

  • Once the nominations have been received, the editors of the Journal of Nuclear Materials will invite a selection of the nominees to submit a Mini-review paper relating to a question they are exploring through their research (typically from the last 2-3 years). To be considered for the prize, candidates must submit a Mini-review for publication.
  • The Mini-reviews invited for inclusion in the JNM Rising Stars initiative will be featured in a dedicated special issue of the journal relevant to their work.
  • The criteria for the prize will be based on degree of scientific innovation outlined in the Review, impact of the research, and the overall quality of the Mini-review. The Senior Editors of JNM will act as judges to determine recipient of the prizes.
  • All authors who have a Mini-review published as part of the initiative will receive a certificate outlining their selection. In addition, there will be up to two recipients of the overall prize of $1000 who will also be invited to join the Editorial Board of the Journal of Nuclear Materials.

How do I nominate someone for the award?

  • Candidates must be nominated through the form below. The form can only be accesses by Materials Today members. Not a member? Sign up or log in now! The nomination must include:
    • A document that includes a short overview/curriculum vitae of the nominated person showing their relevant accomplishments. Please include:
      • relevant publications and other evidence of independent research,
      • year of PhD, including brief details of extenuating circumstances, if more than 10 years ago.
      • link to professional profile and Scopus Author ID, or other ID that lists publications.
    • Name of nominee, if different from the person being nominated.
    • A short textual overview from the nominee of no more than 300 words illustrating why this person qualifies for the award.

What are the timelines for the award?

  • December 1, 2020: Announcement of Rising Stars in Nuclear Materials
  • March 20th, 2021: Deadline for submission of nominations.
  • April 30, 2021: The JNM Senior Editors will invite a selection of the nominees to submit a Mini-review on their specific area of research. Guidelines for the review can be found below.
  • October 15th, 2021: Deadline for invited nominees to submit their Mini-reviews.
  • Early 2022: Reviews will be published in a special section in the Journal of Nuclear Materials.
  • February-April 2022: The Senior Editors of the Journal of Nuclear Materials will select the recipient of the overall prize.

What are the criteria for the Mini-reviews?

Mini-reviews are succinct, focused updates of the literature related to a question of current interest in the scientific community (typically from the last 2-3 years). Subjects covered in Mini-reviews are generally narrower, either in scope or depth, than those covered in full-length Reviews. They should highlight/analyze/discuss recent and important findings and include the author's viewpoint on how the subject relates to the current state of the field. Mini-reviews are usually 2000 to 4000 words in length (excluding references and figure legends), include an abstract that is no more than 100 words, up to 50 references (should include titles), and one to three figures/illustrations.”

For an example of a published Mini-review, please see:

Terms and Conditions

The information you provide will only be used for the administration of the Awards. Full Terms and Conditions are available to download here.

If you have any questions regarding the initiative, please contact the Journal of Nuclear Materials publisher, Dr. Daniel Staemmler d.staemmler@elsevier.com.