The Institute of Mathematical Statistics recognizes and celebrates excellence in our members at all stages of their careers. Here, we outline the IMS awards that are available for nominations. (On the next page are three awards that are open for applications.)
We encourage you to consider diversity and breadth* when you nominate for these awards.
Note that there is no limit on the number of nominations that an individual can submit. There is, however, a limit on the number of letters of support that can be written, which is a maximum of two.
Please visit https://imstat.org/ims-awards/for more information on these awards, and to nominate.
The IMS Awards and Honors
The Peter Gavin Hall IMS Early-Career Prize was created to honor the significant role Peter Hall played in mentoring young colleagues at work and through professional society activities. The Prize recognizes early-career research accomplishments and research promise in statistics, broadly construed. Next deadline December 1: https://www.imstat.org/ims-awards/peter-gavin-hall-ims-early-career-prize/
The Tweedie New Researcher Award funds travel to present the Tweedie New Researcher Invited Lecture at the IMS New Researchers Conference. It was created in memory of Richard Tweedie, who mentored many young colleagues. New researchers (PhD awarded in 2021–25) who are members of IMS are eligible. The next deadline is December 1: https://www.imstat.org/ims-awards/tweedie-new-researcher-award/
A candidate for IMS Fellowship shall have demonstrated distinction in research in statistics or probability, by publication of independent work of merit; or a candidate of well-established leadership whose contributions to the field of statistics or probability other than original research shall be judged of equal value; or a candidate of well-established leadership in the application of statistics or probability, whose work has contributed greatly to the utility and appreciation of these areas. The list of current Fellows is at https://imstat.org/honored-ims-fellows/. Is there someone you think should be included? Deadline January 31, 2026: https://imstat.org/honored-ims-fellows/nominations-for-ims-fellow/
The Harry C. Carver Medal, created by the IMS in honor of Harry C. Carver, is for exceptional service specifically to the IMS. Nominations deadline February 1, 2026: https://www.imstat.org/ims-awards/harry-c-carver-medal/
The IMS Thelma and Marvin Zelen Emerging Women Leaders in Data Science Award is given annually to three women data scientists who are within 10 years of completing their PhD (or similar degree) during the year of the award. The award, consisting of a plaque, a citation, and a cash honorarium, will be presented at the IMS Presidential Awards Ceremony held at the 2027 IMS Annual Meeting at JSM Chicago in August 2027. The deadline for nominations is July 1, 2026. See https://imstat.org/ims-awards/ims-thelma-and-marvin-zelen-emerging-women-leaders-in-data-science-award/
The IMS Named and Medallion Lectures
The nomination deadline may have just passed for the next IMS Named and Medallion Lectures (which include the Wald Memorial Award & Lectures; the IMS Grace Wahba Award & Lecture; the Neyman, Rietz, Blackwell and Le Cam Awards and Lectures; and the eight annual Medallion Awards & Lectures) but you can still be thinking about who to nominate for the following year! The next deadline is October 1, 2026: https://imstat.org/ims-special-lectures/
Applications open for IMS Travel Awards
The IMS has two travel awards: for graduate (Master’s/PhD) students, and for new researchers (up to five years post-PhD). If you are in either of these categories, you can apply for an award now, for travel to any IMS-sponsored or co-sponsored meeting next year.
The purpose of the IMS Hannan Graduate Student Travel Award is to fund travel and registration to attend and possibly present a paper or a poster at an IMS-sponsored or co-sponsored meeting. Presentation of a paper/poster is encouraged, but not required. The travel awards are available to IMS members who are graduate students (seeking a Master’s or PhD degree) studying some area of statistical science or probability, who have not yet received a PhD degree and who will not receive their degree in the year of the application deadline. The application deadline is February 1, 2026. Please see https://imstat.org/ims-awards/ims-hannan-graduate-student-travel-award/
The IMS New Researcher Travel Award funds travel, and possibly other expenses, to present a paper or a poster at an IMS-sponsored or co-sponsored meeting for those who otherwise would not be able to attend the meeting. These travel awards are available to IMS members who are New Researchers, i.e., awarded a PhD (or similar degree) within the five years immediately preceding the year of the application deadline or in the same year as the application deadline, which is February 1, 2026. Please see https://imstat.org/ims-awards/ims-new-researcher-travel-award/ for details and to apply.
Apply for next year’s PhD Student Award
The IMS Lawrence D. Brown PhD Student Award is open for applications. The next deadline is July 1, 2026. Eligible applicants compete to be one of FOUR speakers at an invited session as part of the IMS Annual Meeting (at JSM in Chicago, August 1–6, 2027). The award includes reimbursement for travel and meeting registration fee (up to $2,000 for each recipient). The award was created in memory of Lawrence D. Brown (1940–2018), professor of statistics at The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, who was an enthusiastic and dedicated mentor to many graduate students. For application details see: https://imstat.org/ims-awards/ims-lawrence-d-brown-ph-d-student-award/