Patricia Baird Prize

The prestigious Patricia Baird Prize recognizes excellence in Medical Genetics research by trainees. Judges from the Patricia Baird and James Miller Memorial Prizes Review Committee will review nominations and invite the top three applicants to present a ten-minute research talk at the Department’s annual Research Day, followed by a five-minute question period. The Committee will select the winner of the prize from among the three finalists. The Patricia Baird Prize is $1,000.

YEAR AWARDEE Lab
2023 Vahid Akbari Jones
2022 Amy Inkster Robinson
2021 Arun Kumar Stirling
2020 Vanessa Porter Marra
2019 Ido Refaeli McNagny
2018 Julien Richard Albert Lorincz
2017 Artem Babaian Mager
2016 Jack Hickmott Simpson
2015 Peter Thompson Lorincz


2023 GUIDELINES:

Trainee Eligibility:

  • Currently registered Medical Genetics PhD and MSc graduate students; Genetic Counselling graduate students; and medical students conducting research under the supervision of Medical Genetics faculty.
  • Awardees and finalists of the Patricia Baird Prize competition are excluded from future competitions.
  • Students can win both the James Miller Prize and the Patricia Baird Prize, but not in the same year. The winner of the James Miller Prize will be decided prior to the selection of the Patricia Baird finalists and excluded from further consideration.
  • There is no limit to the number of students a supervisor can nominate, however it is anticipated that the award will generally be won by a senior trainee.

Application Materials:

  • Abstract (250 word limit)
  • Curriculum Vitae (2 pages) – include training details, prior awards and publications/presentations.
  • Letter of reference from the applicant’s supervisor.

Evaluation and Nomination Procedures:

Application materials are due to Azin Zeinali (medical.genetics@ubc.ca) on September 25, 2023. The Patricia Baird Prize Review Committee will pre-adjudicate candidates based on the application materials.  The three top-ranked candidates will be notified approximately one week before Research Day (October 27, 2023) to prepare their ten-minute talk. Candidates’ presentations will be assessed on the quality of their research, clarity of presentation, and response to questions. The Patricia Baird Prize winner will be announced following the presentations.