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Neir Eshel

Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine

Beyond the Prize: The impact on personal and professional growth

As we approach the 10-year anniversary of the Science & SciLifeLab Prize, we took the opportunity to catch up with one of our past winners, Neir Eshel, Grand Prize Winner of 2016.

What has been the biggest outcome for you personally winning the prize?

The prize money helped us buy our house!

What has been the biggest outcome for your career winning the prize?

The entire process–from writing the essay to spending the week in Stockholm–helped shift my perspective about my work. Instead of spending all my time obsessing over the tiny details, I try to spend a few minutes each day zooming out and considering how each experiment fits into a greater scientific trajectory.

What would you like to say to someone who is thinking of applying?

It’s win-win: either you get invaluable experience trying to explain your research to a general scientific audience, or you get this invaluable experience PLUS an extraordinary trip to Sweden!