NINDS, announced first “Rigor Champions Prize” winners; awards for promoting rigor and transparency in scientific research

In March 2024, the NINDS (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke), part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), announced the winners of the inaugural “Rigor Champions Prize”, an award designed to honor individuals and small teams who have distinguished themselves in advancing methodological rigor and transparency in scientific research.

The prize was created to highlight those who are actively working to change the culture of science, moving away from quantity- and prestige-based metrics, and toward quality, reproducibility, and openness. The winners reflect diverse career paths, underscoring the message that anyone, in any role, can be a champion for more reliable science.

The Webinar

To celebrate the winners, the NINDS Office of Research Quality hosted a webinar titled “Winners of the Inaugural NINDS Rigor Champions Prize”, during which the awardees shared their experiences and initiatives, offering both inspiration and practical tools to the broader scientific community.

The Winners

Michael Dougherty
Professor and Chair of the Department of Psychology at the University of Maryland, Dougherty has worked to reform tenure and promotion criteria, both within his department and more broadly. His goal is to shift the focus from publication volume and reputation toward open science and rigorous research practices.

Dana Lapato, Nina Exner, and Timothy York
As members of the Data Science Lab at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), they have developed courses, workshops, seminars, and journal clubs to widely promote open and methodologically rigorous research practices throughout the university.

Melissa Rethlefsen
An academic librarian, Rethlefsen has worked at two different universities where she organized conferences, weekly seminar series, and university coalitions. Her efforts aimed to raise awareness and encourage improved rigor and transparency practices, both within her institutions and the broader scientific landscape.

Kevin Knudtson, Katia Sol-Church, Frances Weis-Garcia, and Sheenah Mische
This group co-founded the Committee on Core Rigor and Reproducibility (CCoRRe) in 2016 within the Association of Biomolecular Resources Facilities (ABRF). The committee works to promote rigorous and transparent practices within core facilities—laboratories and technical centers that support scientific research.

Michela (Micky) Marinelli
Associate Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Texas at Austin, Dr. Marinelli developed an elective course titled “Analytical Skepticism”, focused on the critical examination of cognitive biases and human error in scientific reasoning.

Presenters

During the webinar, the following winners presented their projects:

• Michael Dougherty, PhD – University of Maryland

• Dana Lapato, PhD – Virginia Commonwealth University

• Nina Exner, PhD – Research Data Librarian, VCU

• Kevin Knudtson, PhD – Director, IIHG Genomics Division, University of Iowa

• Michela Marinelli, PhD – Associate Professor of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin

• Melissa Rethlefsen, MSLS, AHIP – Executive Director & Professor, University of New Mexico

A Message to the Scientific Community

The central message of the initiative is clear: anyone, at any stage of their career or in any professional role, can be a “Rigor Champion.” The stories shared during the webinar demonstrated how essential collective effort is in building a more robust, open, and accountable scientific enterprise.