for Cognitive and
Affective Neuroscience
The European Society for Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience aims to promote scientific enquiry within the field of human cognitive, affective and social neuroscience, particularly with respect to collaboration and exchange of information between researchers in different European countries through scientific meetings, workshops, summer schools, and such other activities.
ESCAN Early Career Award
5 December 2025
The ESCAN Early Career Award honors outstanding contributions by scientists working in the area of Social, Cognitive, and Affective Neuroscience early in their careers.
The award includes an honorarium in the amount of 1000 Euro. The award recipient is expected to deliver an award talk in person at the ESCAN meeting. The honorarium can be used to cover registration and travel costs to the conference, if no other funds are available.
Eligibility
- Eligible are researchers with a PhD awarded not longer than 6 years ago on the basis of their exact PhD viva (oral examination) date (plus one year per child). Special health, caring or other circumstances and career breaks will be taken into account on a case-by-case basis.
- The applicant’s main research needs to fall within the scope of the society’s key focus (Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, including social cognitive neuroscience and embodied cognitive neuroscience; see ESCAN SIGs: https://escaneurosci.eu/sig).
- Candidates must be active members of ESCAN at the time of application.
- Candidates must be available to attend the Society conference in person in the year of their award.
Female applicants, applicants with disabilities, and applicants from underrepresented groups and countries in the sciences covered by the ESCAN remit (cognitive, affective and social neuroscience) are particularly invited to apply.
Evaluation of Nominations
Nominations will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
Primary:
- Excellence of research (primary criterion)
- Significance and impact of research (primary criterion)
Secondary:
- Wider contributions to the research community (e.g. commitment to open science and metascience; engagement in science communication and outreach; advocacy for diversity and inclusion; mentorship and team science)
Application Process
- Self-nomination is possible, or alternatively an ESCAN full member can nominate a candidate. The nominator needs to be a full ESCAN member.
- Special health, caring or other circumstances and career breaks will be taken into account in considering both eligibility and evaluation of research output, so applicants are asked to describe any special circumstances they wish the committee to consider.
Documents to Be Submitted
- A maximum 2-page document explaining the key scientific achievements of the candidate (self-written or nominator-written). This document should explicitly address how the nominee meets the above eligibility and evaluation criteria.
- CV in a format of their choice (max 5 pages), that must include a (selected) publication list and list of grants, awards, scholarships, mentorships and collaborations.
- Copies of the candidate’s three most important peer-reviewed papers.
Please submit all documents in the aforementioned order, as one single PDF file named after the surname of the candidate (e.g., “SURNAME.pdf”) to escan@escaneurosci.eu, and mention the award in the email title.
The deadline for submitting a request is February 16th, 2026. We aim to inform applicants who will receive the waiver by March 6th, 2026 (which is well before the Early Bird deadline on March 20th).
ESCAN Travel Awards
The ESCAN Board is offering 10 “Conference Fee and Travel Costs” waivers for ESCAN members (pre-doctoral and PhD students) who have financial difficulties affording the registration fee and the travel costs to attend the ESCAN conference. Applicants must be presenting at the conference (oral or poster presentation). The waiver consists of:
- A waiver of the Early Bird registration fee for ESCAN
- Up to 500 Euros reimbursement for travel costs
Application Procedure
Please send a request for financial support to attend the annual ESCAN conference to escan@escaneurosci.eu and include the following:
- Your name, affiliation, position and contact information
- A brief statement (half a page) explaining your motivation to attend the annual ESCAN conference and your financial circumstances
- A formal letter from your University or supervisor stating that the conference fee and travel costs cannot be reimbursed
Please submit all documents in the aforementioned order, as one single PDF file named after the surname of the candidate (e.g., “SURNAME.pdf”) to escan@escaneurosci.eu, and mention the travel award in the email title.
If you receive the waiver, please note that ESCAN will reimburse the costs that you incur to travel to the annual ESCAN conference for up to 500 Euros. In order to receive the reimbursement, you will need to submit documentation supporting your travel costs (e.g., copies of tickets and receipts). Only ESCAN members will be eligible for this waiver.
The deadline for submitting a request is February 16th, 2026. We aim to inform applicants who will receive the waiver by March 6th, 2026 (which is well before the Early Bird deadline on March 20th). If we receive a large number of requests, the ESCAN Board will allocate the waiver through a lottery.
ESCAN Family Care Grant
ESCAN is pleased to introduce the ESCAN Family Care Grant (up to 300 Euro), aimed at supporting conference attendees who are primary caregivers for children or family members with special or health needs. This grant is designed to alleviate the financial burden of caregiving responsibilities during the conference, allowing caregivers to fully participate in the event.
Eligibility
- Grant recipients must be current members of ESCAN.
- Applicants must be present at the conference (oral or poster presentation).
- Only one parent/caregiver for a single-family unit may apply.
Grant Criteria
- Caregiving responsibility: The applicant must be the primary caregiver.
- Financial need: Applicants must demonstrate the financial need for family care assistance.
- Career impact: A statement of no more than 350 words outlining how attending the conference will benefit their professional development.
Application Materials
- A statement detailing the caregiving financial need (e.g., childcare or eldercare services).
- A personal statement on how attending the conference will benefit the applicant’s career.
Award Coverage
The grant may cover, for example:
- Reimbursement for childcare or caregiving services during the conference
- Care during the Annual Meeting
- Increased expenses at home incurred because the primary caregiver attended the meeting (for example, overtime at a daycare center, cost of a sitter, etc.)
- Travel for a babysitter/caregiver to come to your home
- Transportation of a child/children to the caregiver
- Care during the virtual meeting, if applicable
Please submit all documents in the aforementioned order, as one single PDF file named after the surname of the candidate (e.g., “SURNAME.pdf”) to escan@escaneurosci.eu, and mention the family care award in the email title.
The deadline for submitting a request for the Family Care Grant is February 16th, 2026. We aim to inform applicants who will receive the grant by March 6th, 2026 (which is well before the Early Bird deadline on March 20th). If we receive a large number of requests, the ESCAN Board will allocate the grant through a lottery.
ESCAN 2026 Conference
8 Sept 2025
We are pleased to announce that the next meeting of the European Society for Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience (ESCAN) will take place in Rome from 3 to 6 June 2026. ESCAN 2026 will be a key moment for our community to meet, exchange ideas, and strengthen collaborations across cognitive, affective, and social neuroscience. Colleagues from all over the world are warmly invited to join us.
Hosted in the historical and vibrant city of Rome, the conference will feature keynote lectures, symposia, single-paper sessions, poster sessions, and satellite events. Beyond the formal programme, ESCAN 2026 aims to provide a welcoming environment that encourages discussion, informal exchange, and new partnerships. Early-career researchers will receive particular support through dedicated awards, travel grants, and family-care initiatives.
Call for Contributions
The call for symposia and single presentations will open on 1 December 2025. Members of the ESCAN community—and those who wish to join it—are encouraged to submit their work through our online platform. Submissions must be written in English and will be evaluated by independent reviewers from the ESCAN 2026 Scientific Committee.
- Symposia submission period: 1 December 2025 – 7 January 2026
- Single presentation submission period: 1 December 2025 – 16 February 2026
- Notifications of acceptance: 30 January 2026 (symposia) and 9 March 2026 (single presentations)
Registration
Early registration opens on 1 December 2025. Presenting authors and symposium chairs are asked to complete registration and payment by 20 March 2026 (23:59 CET) to ensure inclusion in the programme. Regular registration will remain open until 11 May 2026, with onsite registration available during the conference.
Awards and Grants
ESCAN 2026 is committed to supporting participation from across the community. Several awards and funding opportunities will be available:
- ESCAN Early Career Award
- ESCAN Travel Grant
- ESCAN Family Care Grant
Applications open on 1 December 2025 and close on 16 February 2026. Detailed guidelines will follow on the conference website.
Join Us in Rome
The conference will be held in a modern and accessible venue in the heart of Rome, with convenient transport links and accommodation options for all budgets. Participants will be able to enjoy the city’s cultural and historical heritage while taking part in a meeting designed to foster meaningful scientific exchange and community connection.
Further information—including keynote announcements, programme details, and practical guidance—will be released over the coming months. We invite you to stay connected and follow updates on this website.
We look forward to welcoming you—and the wider ESCAN community—to Rome for ESCAN 2026!
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