Given by the National Academies in partnership with Schmidt Futures

The awards honor top science communicators, journalists, and research scientists who have developed creative, original work to communicate issues and advances in science, engineering, and/or medicine for the general public. 

Submissions are encouraged from individuals who have developed high-quality communications and demonstrated the potential or ability to communicate the full spectrum of science, engineering, and/or medicine — issues and complexities, beauty and societal benefits, and shortcomings and controversies. The program will provide winners with cash awards, training, and resources to further expand their communications skills.

Recognizing and developing a wide pool of science communicators

The awards will be given to individuals who have developed creative, original work published or released in 2022 that explores issues and advances in science, engineering, and/or medicine for the general public in the following categories:

• Nine Awards for Research Scientists will be split into three subcategories in science, engineering, or medical fields: graduate students (who were master’s or Ph.D. candidates), early-career researchers (who were zero-five years post-master’s or Ph.D.), and mid-to-later career researchers (who were six or more years post-master’s or Ph.D.).
• Nine Awards for Science Journalists will focus on three subcategories in science journalism: community journalists (who reported on local and/or community-specific issues, or the effects of wider issues on a locality or community), early-career journalists (who were under 30 years of age, or had less than five years of professional experience), and freelance journalists (who were self-employed).
• Six Awards for Science Communicators will focus on two other subcategories in science communication: independent communicators (who were self-employed) and organizational communicators (who were employed by an organization).

Submissions will be accepted from April 4 until May 5, 2023. Leading scientists and experts in all aspects of science communication and journalism — from the academic, nonprofit, corporate, and other sectors — will review the submissions and select the winners. The winners will be announced in fall 2023.

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