Applications will be formally assessed by, and only by, the Global Research Awards for Nicotine Dependence (GRAND) Review Committee, an independent committee comprising internationally prominent researchers in the field. Following an initial round of review, the GRAND Review Committee will convene in June 2010, to formally discuss the applications and determine the recipients of the GRAND awards for 2010. The final responsibility for selection of awardees rested with the co-chairs of the Review Committee.

In their evaluation, the Committee members will consider the application in its totality, including the following factors:
• Scientific merit of the research proposal
• Qualifications of the Applicant
• Relevance of the proposed research to the advancement of the understanding of the mechanisms of nicotine dependence and its treatment
• Evidence of the Applicant's commitment to an academic research career
• Evidence of a suitable research environment

Review Committee will consit of internationally renowned researchers in the field of smoking cessation and will be headed by the following Co-Chairs:

Karl Fagerström, PhD, Co-chair
Fagerström Consulting AB
Helsingborg, Sweden
 
Scott Leischow, PhD, Co-chair
University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona, USA
 
Jonathan Foulds, MA, MAppSci, PhD
University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
New Brunswick, NJ, USA