Read about the origins and purpose of the Fred Yates Prize for Early Career Researchers, and how to nominate someone for this prestigious award. Please note that nominations have closed for 2024, and will reopen in January 2025.

About the prize

This prize was created in honour of colleague Fred Yates, who sadly passed away in 1996 but whose work “made a lasting impression on the field and an important contribution to the welfare of those with alcohol and drug problems”. The prize winner receives £2,000 and a certificate which includes the words ‘for a significant contribution to the work of the addictions field’, and is also invited to present their research at the SSA’s Annual Conference, for which their attendance expenses will be reimbursed, up to a maximum of £500.

Previous winners

Since 2011, the prize has been awarded every year to a researcher (or, on occasion, to two researchers) in recognition of their significant and specific contributions to the addictions field.

  • 2024  Dr Katie East, King’s College London, UK
  • 2023  Ebtesam Saleh, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany
  • 2022  Dr Claire Garnett, University College London, UK
  • 2021  Dr Sarah Jackson, University College London, UK
  • 2020  Dr Gemma Taylor, University of Bath, UK
  • 2019  Two awards were given this year: Dr Hamid Noori, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, Germany, and Dr Kyla Thomas, University of Bristol and South Gloucestershire Council, UK
  • 2018  Dr Andrew McAuley, Health Protection Scotland & Glasgow Caledonian University, UK
  • 2017  Dr Andrew Jones, University of Liverpool, UK
  • 2016  Dr Leonie Brose, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, UK
  • 2015  Dr Jamie Brown, University College London, Health Behaviour Research Centre, UK
  • 2014  Dr Frances Kay-Lambkin, University of New South Wales, Australia
  • 2013  Dr Jaime Delgadillo, University of York, UK
  • 2012  Dr Bridgette Bewick, University of Leeds, UK
  • 2011  Two awards were given this year: Dr Jodie Trafton, Stanford University Medical School, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, USA, and Dr Simon Adamson, National Addiction Centre, New Zealand

Most recently, Dr Katie East was awarded the prize in recognition of her “outstanding contribution, predominantly in the area of nicotine product use and perceptions”. Writing to Katie on behalf of the judging panel, Professor Owen Bowden-Jones said:

“Our panellists agreed that you have established a track record of disseminating findings to key stakeholders and contributing to policy development. Since completing your PhD, your career has demonstrated a steep trajectory, accruing over 50 publications in respected journals, including 15 as first author and five as last author, and achieving real impact, including informing policy around plain packaging for e-cigarettes and informing youth vaping policies.”

How to nominate someone for the prize

The SSA typically begins accepting nominations for the Fred Yates Prize for Early Career Researchers in early January, and closes nominations in mid to late February. Submissions are assessed by a panel of three individuals appointed from the SSA’s Board of Trustees.

Below are some of the eligibility criteria for nominees:

  • They must be a member or associate of the SSA
  • They must be nominated by a member or associate of the SSA
  • They must be in the early stages of their research career (i.e. for the 2025 prize, they must have attained their most recent graduate or post-graduate addiction qualification no later than five years prior to 1 November 2024)
  • They must be an active researcher in the field of addiction
  • They must have had one or more publications (or manuscripts accepted for publication) in the previous 12 months, and a minimum of two publications in the previous five years
  • They must have demonstrated enthusiasm and potential future leadership (e.g. through developing a novel programme of work or contributing to new or improved clinical practice or an enhanced understanding of addiction)

Information on eligibility and conflicts of interest

You are ineligible for this prize if you are an employee of the alcohol, cannabis, gambling, nicotine, pharmaceutical, or tobacco industries. This exclusion also applies if you are an employee of an Industry Social Aspect Organisation*.

You are ineligible for this prize if you have received funding of any kind, either directly from, or through representatives of, the alcohol, cannabis (except pharmaceutical), gambling, nicotine (except pharmaceutical), or tobacco industries. This exclusion also applies if you have received funding from an Industry Social Aspect Organisation*.

To be eligible, you must provide details about all potential conflicts of interest when requested. This information will be used to inform decision-making and applications may be rejected if the SSA deems there to be a risk of bias, ethical concerns, or a risk to the reputation of the SSA.

*Industry Social Aspect Organisations are those that are funded by addictive product industries – sometimes through secondary organisations – that often have a stated purpose to reduce the harms of those addictive products.