National Academies Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communications

Categories

• 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.

Funding Information

• The program will confer 24 awards totaling $640,000.
• It is anticipated that there will be a total of 24 Awards, with 8 top prizes (one in each subcategory) in the amount of $40,000 each and 16 additional prizes (two in each subcategory) in the amount of $20,000 each.

Your Work

• You will be asked to provide at least one – and no more than three – outstanding example(s) that clearly support the subcategory to which you are applying, and:
  • communicate scientific, engineering, or medical concepts to non-technical audiences
  • demonstrate clarity, creativity, originality, and accuracy
  • address issues or advances in science, engineering, or medicine
  • cover topics that have an impact on society
  • are presented in a way that a public audience can understand
  • have been published or released anytime in 2023

Eligibility Criteria

• Open to entrants 13 years of age or older who are working at the front lines of science communication or journalism except for previous winners of this award, individuals who are members of the household or immediate family of any of the National Academies of Schmidt Futures. (Minors must submit a signed parental consent form with their application in order to be considered.)
• Awards will not be given posthumously.
• The application incorporates ways of looking at the individual* holistically through narrative responses and work examples. Both the narrative components of the submission and the work example(s) provided will be included in the evaluation. Reviewers are not only looking at what an applicant has done, but also their commitment to continuing work in the field of science communication, science journalism, or practicing research science.
• They recognize the importance of teamwork to many science communication and journalism endeavors; however, these awards are for individuals.
• You are encouraged to apply if you work in one of the categories described above, 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 them 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.
• 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.
• Submissions that include ineligible work examples, long-form media or entire social media accounts, and websites as work examples – and do not map out a starting point – may be disqualified.
• Previous applicants who did not win an award in prior years are strongly encouraged to apply again.
• 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.

For more information, visit National Academy of Sciences.