Description

Submissions Accepted Now Through April 3rd for the 2026 Awards for Excellence in Science Communications: $640,000 to Be Awarded. Submissions are being accepted for the National Academies 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. These $20,000 and $40,000 awards honor exceptional science communicators, journalists, and research scientists who have developed creative, original work in 2025 that makes science, engineering, and/or medicine accessible and engaging for general audiences. In total, 24 awards will be given, totaling $640,000. Apply now and learn more at https://www.nationalacademies.org/awards/excellence-in-communication/for-applicants.

Requirements

The awards in the following categories will be given to individuals who have developed creative, original work published or released in 2025 that explores issues or advances in science, engineering, or medicine for the general public. Eligibility in the following subcategories is determined by the individual’s professional status in 2025:

• 9 Awards for Research Scientists will focus on three subcategories: graduate student researchers, early-career researchers , and later-career researchers.
• 9 Awards for Science Journalists will focus on three subcategories: local/regional journalists, early-career journalists, and freelance journalists.
• 6 Awards for Science Communicators will focus on two subcategories: independent communicators and organizational communicators.

Further eligibility criteria can be found at: https://www.nationalacademies.org/awards/excellence-in-communication/for-applicants