Call for Nominations: OWSD-Elsevier Foundation Awards 2026

Award Information

• Cash prize of USD 5,000.
• All-expenses-paid trip to attend a relevant international conference.

Eligibility Criteria

• The applicant must be a woman who has received her PhD in a scientific discipline within the previous ten years (date of PhD certificate must be no earlier than 10 years prior to application deadline) and whose current scientific research is related to the area of sustainable, affordable, and reliable energy.
• Given that from 2022-2026 the awards will respond to the call for action set forth by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), applicants must demonstrate how their research contributes to advancing knowledge in the area of sustainable, affordable, and reliable energy and to achieving the SDG7 (Affordable and clean energy).
• The application can include, but is not limited to, references to the SDG7 target areas, e.g.  ensuring universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services; increasing substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix; doubling the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency; enhancing international cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy research and technology, including renewable energy, energy efficiency and advanced and cleaner fossil-fuel technology; promoting investment in energy infrastructure and clean energy technology; and expanding infrastructure and upgrading technology to supply modern and sustainable energy services for all in developing countries, in particular least developed countries, small island developing States, and land-locked developing countries.
• The OWSD-Elsevier Foundation Awards are offered to women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Applications from women in Social sciences, Humanities, Arts or other are not eligible.
• Eligible STEM fields:
  • Agricultural Sciences
  • Astronomy, Space and Earth Sciences
  • Biological Systems and Organisms
  • Chemical Sciences
  • Computing and Information Technology
  • Engineering Sciences
  • Mathematical Sciences
  • Medical and Health Sciences (including Neurosciences)
  • Physics
  • Structural, Cell and Molecular Biology
  • Any combination of these fields (i.e. interdisciplinarity) is acceptable.
• The 5 years of residence in the eligible country do not have to be consecutive.
• Applicants can be citizens of any country, provided that they fulfil the above residence requirement.
• Citizens of an eligible country who have not been able to live or work in that country due to active conflict may still exceptionally apply for the award.
• Although anyone having lived and worked at least 5 of the last 15 years in an eligible country may be considered, this award is intended to recognize the achievements of women scientists who have had to overcome challenging circumstances in developing countries. Therefore, candidates currently living and working in these countries or with longer presence in these countries may be given priority.

Application Requirements

• Applications must be made online, in English, and must include:
  • Official documentation proving 5 years’ residency in an eligible STLC.
  • The following documents can be submitted as proof of residence as long as the name of the applicant (as written in the online form) appears clearly: statement from the local police office or municipality, population registry office, rental agreement, utility bills, employment contract.
  • Evidence on how your research contributes to advancing the SDG7 (Affordable and clean energy).
  • Motivational statement of no more than 2500 characters describing why you should be selected for this award, the excellent quality of your research, greatest achievements of your scientific career, impact of your work locally/regionally/internationally, and where relevant, any persona/professional challenges you have faced and overcome given your context (for ease, they recommend that you prepare this beforehand and copy-paste into the text box).
  • PhD certificate
  • Curriculum vitae
  • Full list of publications
  • At least 2 reference letters (reference letters must be prepared on official letterhead and should be written and signed by senior scientists familiar with your research).

For more information, visit OWSD.