Educational Research Award

Donate to the era/ysma fund here

The ERA award has evolved in both amount and scope. First referred to as the SOFT Education Award, it was given its current name of the SOFT Educational Research Award (ERA) in 1982. Support for the award was broadened to include a portion of membership dues and donations from members. As a result, the annual award could now be funded from interest on principal from the ERA endowment. In 1988, SOFT decided to include portions of general society income in the fund. Consequently, the stipend has grown from $500 for a single award to multiple awards of $500 - $1,000. In 2009, the stipend was increased to $2,000. In recent years, the committee has received 3 to 6 applications per year and has granted between two and four awards in a year. In 2023, the stipend was increased to $2,500. 

In 2018, it was determined that applicants in a Master's program would be judged separately from applicants enrolled in a pre-Doctoral, post-Doctoral, or Medical Residency Academic Program. Generally, one awardee will be selected in each of these two categories.

Although the use of the award was not specified, it has been a long standing practice to encourage use of the funds for travel to an Annual Meeting of SOFT. Due to the timing of the awards, the announcement did not always allow the awardee sufficient time to plan on coming to the meeting during the year of the award. In part, due to these factors, the committee has proposed that the award and announcement be restructured. In brief, it would be acknowledged that the ERA award is intended for travel expenses related to the Annual Meeting. Conditions of the award would include having research suitable for presentation at the upcoming annual meeting. In addition, all proposals must be submitted by the first Friday in April. Award recipients would be notified by June 1 such that they could make plans to attend the annual SOFT meeting and present their findings. The award is $2,500 plus basic meeting registration.

Purpose

To encourage academic training and research in areas related to forensic toxicology and recognize worthy student researchers. The award is to be used to assist awardee with travel expenses to attend the Annual SOFT Meeting for the purpose of presenting their research. The type of presentation (platform or oral) will be decided upon by the scientific program committee for the annual meeting at which the award is to be presented.

Eligibility

Applicants - Applicants for the award must be enrolled in a Master's, Pre-Doctoral, Post-Doctoral or Medical Residency academic program and performing toxicological research. The applicant's research should have an emphasis in drug detection/quantitation, drug absorption/distribution/elimination, drugs and human performance or related areas of forensic toxicology.

  • Note 1: In addition to the monetary award, a certificate of recognition will also be presented to the awardee at the SOFT Business Meeting which is held at the Annual SOFT Meeting.
  • Note 2: Applicants who have completed their formal research after the previous year's application deadline are eligible to apply at the next deadline although they are no longer enrolled in an academic program.
  • Note 3: Awards are to be made at the discretion of the Awards Committee based upon excellence, relevance to forensic toxicology or other criteria established by SOFT and the Awards Committee. It is not required that award(s) be made in either or/both categories each year.

Requirements of the ERA Application

    1. Completion of an ERA Application Form

If you apply for an award, do not submit your abstract for consideration in the scientific program via the SOFT website. In the event that you are not selected to receive an award, the committee will notify you to submit your abstract at that time, prior to the abstract submission deadline.

  1. Abstract in SOFT Annual Meeting format (MS Word).
  2. Brief summary of research plan. This should include hypothesis, experimental design, results and conclusion. If several projects have been completed as part of their studies each should be addressed in the same format. Each project should not exceed one page in length.
  3. One (1) letter of recommendation from mentor or department head on university letterhead attesting to applicant's capabilities and the writer's willingness to ensure the award will be used to supplement expenses for attendance of the applicant at the SOFT Annual Meeting for presentation of the data supporting the abstract submitted. Note: It is not a requirement that the applicant be a member of SOFT. If the applicant is not a member of SOFT, the person writing the letter of recommendation must be a full or charter member.
  4. A resume or curriculum vitae of the applicant.
  5. The application deadline is the first Friday in April, the year of the annual meeting.

Notification of Award to Applicant: No later than June 1 of year of award.

Questions? Email Awards Committee Chair Sara Schreiber

Previous Award Recipients of the Educational Research Award

YearAwardeeAffiliation
2023 Bridget O'Leary John Jay School of Criminal Justice, New York, NY
Jessica Ayala Sam Houston State University, Houston, TX
2022 Bailey Jones Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
Tyson Baird Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
2021 Kaitlyn Palmquist Sam Houston State University, Houston, TX
Erica Sales Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
2020 Samuel Krug Arcadia University, Glenside, PA
Ashley Gesseck Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
2019 Michael T. Truver Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX
Victoria Mei John Jay College of Criminal Justice, New York City, NY
Tiara Evans The George Washington University, Washington, DC
2018 Haley Mulder Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
2017 Heather Ciallella Arcadia University, Glenside, PA
Timothy Lau OCME New York
Emma Lomas University of Huddersfield
2016 Meaghan Drumm Arcadia University, Glenside, PA
Lorna Nisbet University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK
Madeleine Swortwood NIDA, Baltimore, MD
2015 Marissa Finkelstein University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Matthew Newmeyer NIDA, Baltimore, MD
2014 Marisol Castaneto NIDA, Baltimore, MD
Sara Dempsey Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
Kayla Ellefsen NIDA, Baltimore, MD
Eva Reichardt Bournemouth University, United Kingdom
2013 Rebecca Hartman NIDA, Baltimore, MD
Kim Samano Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
Sarah Himes NIDA, Baltimore, MD
2012 Caroline Betit Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario (Canada)
Trista Wright East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN
2011 Michelle Schmidt Cedar Crest College, Allentown, PA
C. Meagan O’Hehir Arcadia University, Glenside, PA
Dayong Lee NIDA, Baltimore, MD
Nathalie Desrosiers NIDA, Baltimore, MD
Trista Wright East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN
2010 Hannah Bunten Center for Forensic Sciences, Bournemouth University, UK
David Schwope National Institute of Drug Abuse, Baltimore, MD
Samantha Tolliver Florida International University, Miami, FL
2009 Erin Karschner National Institute of Drug Abuse, Baltimore, MD
Xiaoyun Liu South China University of Technology
Jillian Yeakel Arcadia University, Glenside, PA
Jayne Thatcher University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Teresa Gray National Institute of Drug Abuse, Baltimore, MD
Huda Hassan University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland
2008 Sherri Kacinko National Institute of Drug Abuse, Baltimore, MD
Meng-Yan Wu Fooyin University, Kaohsiung Hsien, Taiwan
2007 Amy Cadwallader Center for Human Toxicology, Salt Lake City, UT
Michele Merves University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Erin Kolbrich National Institute of Drug Abuse, Baltimore, MD
Cody Peer West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV
Sandeep Sunny Rodhey Pace University, New York, NY
2006 Erin Kolbrich National Institute of Drug Abuse, Baltimore, MD
Stacy Smeal Center for Human Toxicology, Salt Lake City, UT
2005 Jessica Jennings Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
Romina Kaushik University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD
2004 Dawn Parker National University, La Jolla, CA
Robin Choo National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, MD
Danyel Tacker University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX
David Burrows East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN
2003 Dustin Yaworsky University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
Jimmy Crockett, Jr. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI
2002 Riet Dams National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, MD
Paul Jannetto Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office and Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
Laureen Marinetti Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
Brandy Yglesias University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
2001 Robert Kronstrand Linkoping University, Linkoping, Sweden
Edward Carter University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD
2000 Laureen Marinetti Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
Martha Burt Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN
Diane Boland University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
1999 Robin Evans University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD
Sandra Valtier University of Texas, San Antonio, TX
1998 Brad Hall University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
Rebecca Jufer East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN
Tessa Long University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD
Jeri Ropero-Miller University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
1997 Rebecca Jufer University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD
1996 Robert Joseph University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD
Matthew Slawson University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
Tracy Williams University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
George Behonick St. John's University, Queens, NY
1995 Gina Cassella University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
John Pablo University of Miami, Miami, FL
1994 Karla Moore Medical College of Virginia, Richmond, VA
Amanda Jenkins University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD
1993 Amanda Jenkins University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD
1992 William Walker University of Saskatchewan, Canada
Phillip Kemp Louisiana State University Medical Center, Shreveport, LA
1990 Nancy Haley University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI
Gary Kunsman Louisiana State University Medical Center, Shreveport, LA
MaryAnn Suero Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL
1988 Vickie Watts University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD
Anthony Costantino University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD
Daniel Isenschmid University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD
1987 P. Tareyl Barton Mercer University Southern, Atlanta, GA
Joseph Boni Medical College of Virginia, Richmond, VA
Robert Fitzgerald Medical College of Virginia, Richmond, VA
1986 Donna Bush University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD
Anthony Costantino University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD
Bruce Goldberger University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD
Daniel Isenschmid University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD
Peggy Kelly University of California School of Health, Berkeley, CA
Teri Stockham Medical College of Virginia, Richmond, VA
1985 Daniel Isenschmid University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD
1984 Bruce Goldberger University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD
1983 Paul Hale St. Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
1982 Barry Levine Medical College of Virginia, Richmond, VA
1981 Christopher Long St. John's University, Queens, NY
1980 John Hebb University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD