Palmer Prize in Equine Reproduction

Description

The IETS Foundation is proud to announce a new equine reproduction travel award in honor of Dr. Eric Palmer to encourage undergraduate, graduate, postdoctoral, and veterinary students to attend and participate in the IETS Annual Conference.

Applications for the IETS 2027 Annual Conference are now open!

2026 Applications

To enter the competition, you must answer yes to the Peter W. Farin scholarship question and select the “Palmer Prize in Equine Reproduction” option as your second section preference when submitting your abstract.

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Join us in championing the future of equine reproduction!

Support the Palmer Prize in Equine Reproduction by making a tax-deductible donation to the IETS Foundation.

Your generosity fuels trainee travel to the IETS Annual Conference, empowering the next generation to share breakthroughs and advance embryo technology worldwide.

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Award

The winner will be awarded a travel stipend (US$500) to attend the IETS Annual Conference and an inscribed plaque.

Requirements

Eligible students, including undergraduate, graduate, postdoctoral, or veterinary students, must submit an abstract to be considered for the award. The abstract submission must be in accordance with the standard guidelines established by the IETS and should emphasize research in any field of equine reproduction for full consideration.

The experimental data presented in the abstract must be original and must have been gathered during the student’s program. The individual entering the competition must have been a graduate student at some point during the calendar year immediately prior to the annual conference for that competition. An individual student will be allowed to enter only one abstract per year, and that student must be the first author of that abstract. If an abstract is selected as a finalist, the student entering the competition with that abstract (the first author) shall present the poster at the annual conference.

The format must conform to the IETS guidelines for the preparation of abstracts for poster presentations. Data presented in this abstract may not have been accepted for publication elsewhere, nor presented at any national or international meeting prior to the IETS Annual Conference.

If a student has submitted a manuscript containing the same data that are the basis for the abstract submitted to the IETS and receives notification that the manuscript will be published before the time of the competition, the abstract submitted to the IETS must be withdrawn immediately, and the student will not be eligible to compete at the IETS Annual Conference.

The recipient of the Palmer Prize will be notified before the meeting and will give a short presentation at the IETS 2027 Annual Conference.

Judging Criteria

Entries are judged on the quality of the abstract, and one will be selected for presentation during the IETS Annual Conference.

Palmer Prize in Equine Reproduction abstracts that are rejected by the program co-chairs must be withdrawn from the competition. However, apart from the acceptability of the abstract, the Education Committee of the IETS Foundation makes all decisions regarding the Palmer Prize.

Students whose abstracts are not selected for presentation are encouraged to attend the conference and present their data in the poster session, or to send their posters with a representative who will make the presentation. If students do not plan to attend the conference, they must withdraw their abstracts from the proceedings before August 19, 2026.

Thanks to IETS Donor, Dr. Eric Palmer

The IETS Palmer Prize for Equine Reproduction was established in memory of long-time IETS member Dr. Eric Palmer, whose pioneering contributions to equine reproduction left an enduring mark on our field. As one of the most influential figures in reproductive science and the recipient of the 2020 IETS Pioneer Award, Eric’s relentless curiosity and commitment to advancing the boundaries of what was possible shaped the careers of countless researchers and inspired transformative discoveries across the discipline.

Eric’s career was defined by a series of landmark achievements that fundamentally changed the field of animal reproduction. He was the first to demonstrate the utility of ultrasonography in animals, a development that revolutionized how reproductive processes could be monitored and studied. His work yielded the first reported equine in vitro fertilization–derived foals, a milestone that opened new frontiers in equine reproductive biotechnology. He further advanced the field through the development of regimens for regulating reproductive cyclicity using artificial lighting, and made lasting contributions to the adoption and implementation of frozen stallion sperm, including the development of the INRA 96 extender—a product that remains widely used to this day.

The IETS is profoundly grateful to honor Eric’s memory through this prize, which reflects both the breadth of his scientific legacy and his dedication to the next generation of researchers. Through the Palmer Prize, future recipients will carry forward his innovative spirit, pursuing the kind of bold, rigorous science that defined his remarkable career.