Call for Nominations

2026 SFRA Innovative Research Award

Science Fiction Research Association (SFRA)
Open Call for Nominations: 2026 SFRA Innovative Research Award
Extended deadline for nominations: January 18, 2026

The SFRA Innovative Research Award
The Science Fiction Research Association (SFRA) invites nominations for the 2026 Innovative Research Award (for work published in 2025). The award is announced annually at the SFRA conference and is awarded to the writer (or writers) of the year’s best critical essay-length work. Formerly known as the Pioneer Award, the SFRA Innovative Research Award was renamed in 2019 following lengthy discussions and a community vote. For a list of past winners: https://www.sfra.org/The-SFRA-Innovative-Research-Award.

Please note: The award is now open to article-length submissions in edited collections and other similar venues, as well as peer-reviewed journal articles. Only essays published in 2025 are eligible for submission. A maximum of two submissions is welcomed per person, and it is possible to self-nominate. Past winners will not be considered for this award, so please refer to the list of winners before submitting your nomination if you believe the author has won in the past. All nominations will remain anonymous.

For all inquiries or to submit a nomination, please send the author’s name, title of article and the journal and pages in which the article appeared to the committee chair Dr. Sümeyra Buran at buransumeyra@gmail.com. Please also include the article as an attachment. The extended deadline for submissions is January 18, 2026.