The Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communication
The Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communication aim to recognize excellence in science communication by Research Scientists and Journalists.
Overview
The Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communication aim to inspire a new generation of science journalists and research scientists to engage the public with complex ideas in science, technology, and engineering, and to encourage continuing excellence in the field.
Each year, in partnership with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, the program will award 24 prizes honoring two types of communication: Best Science Communication by Research Scientists and Best Science Journalism. The program has been designed to be forward looking in its potential to encourage continuing excellence in science communication and foster connections and opportunities that help make awardees even more effective communicators. To this end, the program will also provide programming, professional development and networking opportunities to the research scientists and science journalists after receiving their awards.
“From cataloging changes in the Earth’s atmosphere to sequencing genomes of new viruses, scientific knowledge has never been vaster, and effective communication about science has never been more important”
– Wendy Schmidt, co-founder, Schmidt Futures
The Awards
Each year, the program will award 24 prizes honoring the best science communication by research scientists and the best science journalism. The program will welcome submissions that explore the full spectrum of science — its beauty and societal benefits, its complexities, its shortcomings and controversies.
The first call for submissions will be open from March 1, 2022, to April 3, 2022. Leading scientists and experts in all aspects of science communication and journalism – from the academic, non-profit, corporate, and other sectors – will review the submissions and select the winners.
12 Awards for Best Science Communication by Research Scientists
These awards are focused on the effective communication of scientific topics or research to the general public. The 12 awards will be split into three categories based on career level: graduate students, early career researchers (one to five years after their Ph.D.), and later career researchers. A top prize of $40,000 and three $20,000 awards of recognition will be awarded in each category.
12 Awards for Best Science Journalism
These awards will focus on three categories in science journalism: freelance journalists, early career journalists (under 30 years of age or less than 5 years of professional experience), and local/regional reporting. A top prize of $40,000 and three $20,000 awards of recognition will be awarded in each category.
Professional Development and Training
The program will partner with science communicators, universities, and science journalism organizations to provide ongoing training and professional development opportunities for the science communicators identified through the awards program. This initiative will provide ongoing resources and training for the awardees, eventually building capacity and networking opportunities within the broader science and journalism communities.
About National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine are private, nonprofit institutions that provide independent, objective analysis and advice to the nation to solve complex problems and inform public policy decisions related to science, technology, and medicine. They operate under an 1863 congressional charter to the National Academy of Sciences, signed by President Lincoln.
The Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communication News
Schmidt Futures and The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Announce the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communication
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