CANADIAN LEAGUE AGAINST EPILEPSY AWARDS

2025 AWARDS

The Camfield bursary was developed in honour of Peter and Carol Camfield to encourage Canadian medical and graduate students to develop an interest and skills in epilepsy research. 

Eligible Candidates

Medical students or graduate students in any discipline who have 10 or more consecutive weeks to dedicate to epilepsy research.  The research may be clinical or basic science.  Applicants must be current members in good standing of the Canadian League Against Epilepsy (CLAE).  Only one nomination per person is permitted.

Bursary Amount: $5,500

Submission Deadline:  Sunday, March 15, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. ET

Submission guidelines and details on how to apply coming soon.

The purpose of these awards is to recognize excellence in epilepsy research accomplishments by residents, fellows, post-docs, medical students, graduate students, and allied health professionals.  The Publication Awards will be open for submissions in late April / early May 2025. Four prizes of $500 will be awarded (one from each of the following categories):

Resident Award

A resident in Neurology (adult or pediatric) or Neurosurgery conducting epilepsy related research.  This prize is specifically named the Mary Anne Lee Award.

Congratulations to the 2025 Winner: Jimmy Li

Fellow or Post-Doc Award

A Fellow or Post-doc in adult/pediatric Neurology, Neurosurgery or in Neuroscience conducting epilepsy-related research.

Congratulations to the 2025 Winner: Hellen Kreinter

Previous Winners

Graduate Student or Medical Student Award

 A graduate student (Masters or PhD) or a medical student conducting basic science epilepsy related research.

Congratulations to the 2025 Winner: Farbod Niazi

Previous Winners

Allied Health Student Award

An allied health student (e.g. nursing, psychology, social work, psychology students, neuropsychology residents and nursing students) conducting epilepsy related research.

Congratulations to the 2025 Winner: Tamara Tavares

Previous Winners

Wilder Penfield Award 

This award has been a tradition since 1982. It honours a CLAE Member for outstanding lifetime clinical and/or research contributions in epilepsy. The Wilder Penfield Award is awarded every other year and will open for submissions in late April / early May 2027.

Congratulations to the 2025 Winner: Andrew Parrent

Previous Winners   Submission Guidelines

Excellence in Research Award 

To recognize research excellence by Canadian researchers in the field of epilepsy. The Excellence in Research Award is awarded every other year and will open for submissions in late April / early May 2027.

Congratulations to the 2025 Winner: Kathy Speechley

Previous Winners   Submission Guidelines

NEW! Excellence in Education Award 

To recognize research excellence by Canadian educators in the field of epilepsy. The Excellence in Education Award is awarded every other year and will open for submissions in late April / early May 2027.

Congratulations to the 2025 Winner: Rajesh Ramachandran Nair

Clinical Practice / Advocacy Award 

Honours a CLAE Member in recognition for his/her excellency in clinical practice and/or engagement in representing and supporting patients with epilepsy. The Clinical Practice / Advocacy Award is awarded every other year and will open for submissions in late April / early May 2027.

Congratulations to the 2025 Winner: Robyn Whitney

Junior Investigator Award

Honours a CLAE member within five years of their first academic appointment for outstanding research contributions in epilepsy. The Junior Investigator Award will open for nominations in late April / early May 2027.

Congratulations to the 2025 winner: Elie Bou Assi

Previous Winners   Submission Guidelines

Basic Science Award and Clinical Research Award

This exciting opportunity invites all individuals who submitted an abstract to the 2025 CLAE Scientific Meeting in the Basic Science or Clinical Research category a chance to win a $500 travel bursary to the conference, as well as FREE conference registration. The Basic Science and Clinical Research Award will open for submissions in April 2026.

Congratulations to the 2025 Winners:

Basic Science Award: Tina Wang

Clinical Research Award: Theara Arafat

Previous Winners