Limited Submission Process Overview

The Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) is pleased to announce this special limited submission award.

Nominations submitted for consideration can only be put forward by faculty advisors. 

Self-nominations from post-docs will not be accepted.

After the deadline closes for faculty advisors to submit their candidates for consideration, the OVPR will determine whether an internal competition is needed based on the number of submissions received. 

If the number of NOIs does not exceed the sponsor’s limit, eligible PIs who submitted an NOI by the deadline are typically approved to move forward without an internal competition. If no NOIs are received, the opportunity may remain open on a first-come, first-served basis until all available slots are filled or the sponsor deadline passes, whichever comes first (see full process on our website).

Deadline

Date/Time

Notes

Faculty Advisor Nomination Deadline

Monday, 10/5/2026 by 12 noon

Required.

Candidate Materials Deadline

Monday, 10/19/2026 by 12 noon

Only required if an internal competition is needed.

Sponsor Full Proposal Deadline

12/2/2026, 11:59 p.m. ET

Item

Details

Program Link

https://blavatnikawards.org/awards/regional-awards/

Quest Portal Link

https://quest.uconn.edu/prog/blavatnik-reg_FY27

Award Details

$30,000

Number of UConn Applicants Allowed

15 total across the following categories:

• Life Sciences
• Physical Sciences & Engineering
• Chemical Sciences

Eligibility Requirements

The postdoctoral nominee must:

• Have been born in or after 1985.
• Hold a doctorate degree (PhD, DPhil, MD, DDS, DVM, etc.).
• Currently hold a postdoctoral position.
• Currently conduct research in one of the disciplinary categories.

Program Description

The Blavatnik Regional Awards acknowledge and celebrate the excellence of outstanding postdoctoral scientists from institutions in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut working in the three disciplinary categories of Life Sciences, Physical Sciences & Engineering, and Chemical Sciences. Laureates are awarded $30,000 each and two Finalists in each disciplinary category are awarded $10,000 each in unrestricted funds.

Question

Answer

What happens after the department head nomination deadline?

After the deadline, one of three outcomes typically applies.

1. If the number of submissions received exceeds the sponsor’s limit, OVPR will conduct an internal competition. 
2. If the number of submissions does not exceed the sponsor’s limit, eligible PIs who have submitted an NOI by the deadline are typically approved to move forward without an internal competition. If any slots remain available, the opportunity will remain open on a first-come, first-served basis.
3. If no NOIs are received by the deadline, the opportunity will remain open on a first-come, first-served basis until all available slots are filled or the sponsor deadline passes, whichever comes first.

Only faculty advisors can nominate postdocs for consideration of this award. Those that are selected and approved by OVPR are eligible to submit to the sponsor. Self-nominations are not accepted.

What materials are needed for the internal competition?

If an internal competition is necessary, review materials should include:

1. Your CV (Biosketches would also be acceptable).
2. A one-page overview of your research and its impact.
3. Confirmation of the category you want to be considered for
4. 
   
   1. Life Sciences
   2. Physical Sciences & Engineering
   3. Chemical Sciences
5. Confirmation of the year you were born.

Please see the sponsor’s guidelines for details about program goals and application components.

What happens after the pre-proposal is submitted? 

1. Candidate materials are reviewed by a high-level faculty committee with expertise in grant submission and relevant research areas.
2. After selections are made, all applicants will receive notification of the results (and reviewer feedback, when available) at the conclusion of the review.
3. Selected investigators will be approved to complete and submit full proposals according to the sponsor’s guidelines.

Where can I find more information?

For more information about the limited submission process, please visit our FAQ page.

For additional assistance, please contact us at research@uconn.edu.

How can I stay connected with UConn Research?

Follow UConn Research on Instagram & LinkedIn for all the latest information.