Call for Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communications 2024 are open !
Submissions are now being accepted for the 2024 Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communications, given by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in partnership with Schmidt Sciences.
The National Academies Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communications will encourage high-quality science communication and build a diverse community of science communicators, science journalists, and research scientists that will help society meet the challenges and realize opportunities posed by complex issues such as climate change, future pandemics, human genome editing, and artificial intelligence.
The program will confer 24 awards totaling $640,000. These awards will go to individuals who were working at the frontlines of science communication or journalism who have developed creative, original work that addresses issues and advances in science, engineering, or medicine for the general public, and who are in career stages or settings where the recognition could have a significant impact on their future career.
Schmidt Sciences will help foster the vibrant and expanding community of science communications awardees by partnering with renowned journalistic institutions to provide ongoing training and professional development opportunities.
Benefits
- Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communications honors exceptional science communicators, journalists, and research scientists who have developed creative, original work to communicate issues and advances in science, engineering, or medicine for the general public.
- These prestigious awards strive to recognize and build a diverse community of science communicators, science journalists, and research scientists.
- Submissions are encouraged from individuals who have developed high-quality communications and demonstrated the potential or ability to communicate the spectrum of science, engineering, or medicine.
- This third cohort of winners will be supported as they continue to demystify complex issues related to science, engineering, and health effectively, helping society meet the challenges and realize opportunities posed by complex issues such as climate change, future pandemics, human genome editing, and artificial intelligence.
Eligibilities
- You are encouraged to apply if you work in one of the eligible categories, and you:
- Can articulate what motivates you to create work(s) that improve the public’s interest, appreciation, or understanding of science, engineering, or medicine, and their impact on society.
- Have a passion for science communication or journalism and can tell us how you got here and where you are headed.
- Have at least one outstanding example of science communication or journalism that demonstrates your potential or ability to communicate the issues, beauty, societal benefits, complexities, shortcomings, or controversies of science, engineering, or medicine.
- Can set forth a compelling case for what this award would mean to you.
- Submissions are accepted from individuals who have developed content and were working at the frontlines of science communication, science journalism, or practicing research in 2023 in eight subcategories.
- Freelance Journalist
Developed content for media organizations and was self-employed. - Early-Career Journalist
Was under 30 years of age or had less than 5 years of professional experience developing content for media organizations. - Local/Regional Journalist
- Freelance Journalist
- Developed content for media organizations that:
- Focused on local/regional issues.
- Reported the effects of wider issues on a locality or region.
- Or were regionally-focused subsections of outlets that were broader in reach.
- Addressed issues or advances in science, engineering, or medical fields and did not identify as a science journalist or practicing research scientist.
- Independent Communicator
Was not employed full-time by a third-party organization or institution to do this work. - Organizational Communicator
Was employed by an organization or institution. - Graduate Student Researcher: Was a Master’s or PhD candidate practicing research in science, engineering, or medical fields.
- Early-Career Researcher: Was a practicing researcher in science, engineering, or medical fields and was 0-5 years post-Master’s or PhD.
- Later-Career Researcher: Was a practicing researcher in science, engineering, or medical fields and was 6+ years post-Master’s or PhD.
Application Process
- Apply via their online application portal.
- Submissions will be accepted from March 1 until March 31, 2024. 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.
Application Deadline: April 1, 2024
Application ClosedOfficial link
