Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communications 2024

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.

Submission Categories

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:

Science Journalist

• 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
  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.

Science Communicator

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.

Research Scientist

• 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.

A broad range of science communications and journalism are encouraged – from magazine/newspaper articles, film/video, TV and radio segments to podcasts, newsletters, social media content, mixed media works and installations, and public talks. 

Science fiction, reference books, textbooks, peer-reviewed articles, testimony, advertorials, and corporate-branded content are not eligible for consideration.  Previous winners of this award, employees of the National Academies and Schmidt Sciences, and committee and jury members are not eligible, and posthumous awards are not permitted. This award is not for lifetime achievement. Applications and work examples must be in English or English translations must be provided.

Entries must be submitted through the online submission form in the category that most closely fits the submitter’s background by 11:59 p.m. ET, March 31, 2024. Works and applications translated into English are welcome. The program accepts one application per individual. There is no submission fee. Before applying, please read the contest rules.

Please contact program staff with any questions you may have about what constitutes a work example. Submissions that include ineligible work examples may be disqualified.

More information on the awards and eligibility requirements can be found here.