Nominations open for International Awards in Life and Environmental Sciences

The L’Oréal-UNESCO for Women in Science Program has recognized and celebrated eminent women in science throughout the world. To date, the L’Oréal-UNESCO partnership has awarded 137 eminent women at the height of their scientific careers and supported more than 4500 promising young women scientists at doctoral and postdoctoral level in more than140 countries and territories.

The five laureates will be selected by an international jury for their exceptional contribution to scientific advancement and will be awarded during the International Awards Ceremony, to be held in June 2026 in Paris.

Prize Information

• Each of the Laureates will receive €100,000.

Geographical Focus

• The International Awards will honour five outstanding researchers in Life and Environmental Sciences, each working in one of the following regions: Africa and the Arab States; Asia and the Pacific; Europe; Latin America and the Caribbean; North America.

Eligibility Criteria

• The candidate must be recognized for her scientific excellence by the international scientific community
• Be actively involved in scientific research
• Be involved in any field of Life and Environmental Sciences.
• One candidate will be selected for each of the five regions, the determining factor being the place of work for at least 10 years, not the nationality of the candidate.

Nomination Criteria

• Scientists around the world are invited to nominate candidates for the L’Oréal-UNESCO for Women in Science International Awards.
• To be considered eligible for an Award, it is necessary to be nominated in writing by an eminent scientist. Self-nominations are not eligible, nor nominations from immediate family members.
• Teams are not eligible for nomination.
• Qualified nominators may be:
  • Heads of University or Scientific Institutions,
  • Members of Academies of Science,
  • Holders of Research Chairs,
  • Full professors
  • Past For Women in Science Award Laureates,
  • Or at a minimum holders of a PhD in Science.

Selection Criteria

• The candidate’s outstanding contribution to the advancement of science,
• The impact of the candidate’s research work on the current state of her scientific field (number, quality and impact of publications, conference presentations, patents),
• The recognition of the candidate by peers within her discipline through publications,
• The recognition of the candidate’s commitment to education, teaching activities, mentoring and/or to the United
• Nations Sustainable Development Goals more broadly.

Application Requirements

• An application is considered complete only if it includes all the following documents:
  • A brief explanation of why the nominator considers the candidate eligible for the L’Oréal-UNESCO for Women in Science International Awards (200-400 words).
  • A suggested quotation for the general audience if the candidate is selected. This should be a concise statement (maximum of 40 words) describing the key technical or professional accomplishments for which the candidate deserves the Award. Note that the Jury will agree on the final Laureates’ statements.
  • A detailed Curriculum Vitae (maximum 2 to 3 pages). The nominator must include in the CV (or in the publications list) any reference to the candidate’s scientific social networks and/or websites (such as ResearchGate, ORCID, personal website).
  • A list of all the publications of the nominee.
  • A list of the most significant patents starting with the most recent one.

For more information, visit Fondation L’Oreal.