The annual VLDB Early Career Researcher award recognizes a researcher who has made an impact in the early part of their career (i.e., since receiving their Ph.D.) through a specific technical contribution of high significance.

1. The candidate should have been awarded their Ph.D. no earlier than June 30, 2005.
2. The award is given for a specific technical contribution and not in recognition of the researcher’s accumulative contributions across diverse topics.
3. The nomination statement (500 words or less) should consist of a brief description of the specific contribution made by the candidate and the significance of that work. Anyone in the community may submit a nomination. Self-nominations are not allowed.
4. The nomination package should include a statement from the advisor (or the department office) confirming the date of graduation of the candidate.
5. The nomination must be supported by three letters of references from people who are not directly connected to the nominee. The letters need to address the significance and the candidate’s role in the specific research contribution cited in the nomination. Advisors, advisees, and co-authors of the nominee who collaborated on the specific research contribution cited in the nomination cannot act as references. Ideally, a reference is a well- known member of the community who has not had a close association with the nominee on the specific topic cited in the nomination, but who can still vouch with authority for the candidate’s contribution.
6. It is the responsibility of the nominator to ensure that the nomination statement, statement of graduation date, as well as the references reach the awards committee by the submission deadline of une 15, 2013. Nomination material should be sent via email to Mike Carey (Awards Committee Chair).
7. Nominations that did not result in an award can be resubmitted or updated in subsequent years as long as the candidate continues to meet the constraint on the Ph.D. graduation date.

There is no formal nomination process for this award, but input from the research community is welcome. A paper will be selected from the VLDB Proceedings from 10 years earlier (i.e., from VLDB 2003) that has best met the "test of time," that is, that has had the most influence since its publication. We are especially interested in first-hand accounts of ways in which the ideas of a paper have been used in practice. If you have such information, or any other information which you believe would be of use to the committee, please send the chair of the VLDB awards committee a note.