Deadline: April 9, 2025
The Inspiring Women in Science awards celebrate and support the achievements of women in science, and all those who work to encourage girls and young women to engage with STEM subjects and stay in STEM careers around the world. We invite applications in two award categories — Science Outreach and Scientific Achievement.
Key dates
- Applications open: 15th January 2025
- Application deadline: 9th April 2025
- Application assessment: April to August 2025
- Successful applicants notified: September 2025
- Winner announced: October 2025
Prizes
The winners of the Nature Awards for Inspiring Women in Science will receive:
- A prize of US$50,000
- An invitation to the award ceremony in London or New York, with accommodation and travel expenses paid by the organiser.
- Coverage on nature.com
- An invitation to present their work or initiative to the scientists at The Estée Lauder Companies
- Mentoring through The Estée Lauder Companies
The runners up will receive:
- A prize of US$5,000
- An invitation to the award ceremony in London or New York, with accommodation and travel expenses paid by the organiser
The shortlisted applicants will:
- Be profiled on the Nature Awards website
- Have access to an exclusive coaching and networking community
How to apply
Applications must be submitted through the online application form.
Entries must be complete and submitted by 11:59 pm UTC 00:00 on the 9th April 2025 to be eligible. Terms and conditions are available here.
Eligibility criteria
Science Outreach category
We are looking for initiatives that have either:
- encouraged girls or young women to engage with and study natural sciences, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEM) or
- increased retention of women in STEM careers, with a focus on providing tools to support women through their career progression in a STEM discipline.
We accept applications from organizations, departments, individuals (of any gender), or project teams. Please nominate one spokesperson who will be our point of contact and represent the winning entry at the award ceremony.
Entries will have shown exceptional vision, insight, and/or imagination, and demonstrated that they encourage, support, or promote the interests of girls and/or women in STEM. We also welcome applications that include interdisciplinary components.
Scientific Achievement category
We are looking for applicants who have made an exceptional, demonstrable contribution to scientific discovery, and may have faced significant personal or professional challenges. The applicant should exhibit the potential for developing and leading an independent research group. We are also keen that applicants have made efforts to inspire the next generation of scientists through outreach or support the retention of women in science careers.
Applicants must self-identify as women. We use an inclusive definition of ‘woman’ and ‘women’. We welcome trans women, and genderqueer and non-binary people.
Applicants must hold a PhD degree, a medical degree (MD), or another type of doctorate by dissertation obtained in the last 10 years.
The previously mentioned 10 years will be extended by any maternity leave(s) or other relevant leaves of absence. Thus, the 10 years do not need to be continuous. Details of these absences will need to be specified during the application process.
Applicants must hold a non-tenured position at the time of application. We accept applications from those working in STEM. We also welcome applications that include an interdisciplinary component.
Evaluation criteria
Applications will be assessed by our panel based on the following criteria:
Science Outreach category
- Description of your initiative.
- Success and impact of your initiative.
- Future plans.
Scientific Achievement category
- Scientific achievements.
- Publications.
- Activities beyond research.
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FAQS
1.When can I apply?
The application window is open from 13th January 2025 to 9th April 2025.
2. Do applicants need to be nominated
No. Applicants for each award need to submit their own applications.
However, you can recommend an applicant here. They will be sent an email once they have been recommended directing them to apply.
3. When will I know if I have been shortlisted?
We will update all applicants about their progression. Shortlisted candidates will be notified by September 2025.
4. Will I receive feedback on my application?
Feedback about the application can be made available on request via awards@nature.com.
5. Can I enter both of the award categories?
Yes, you can. The Scientific Achievement and Science Outreach categories are separate, and you are welcome to submit an application to both categories if you meet the eligibility criteria.
6. If an applicant was among the shortlist last year, are they eligible to apply for the award again?
We welcome second applications, but keep in mind that the judges panel will compare this application to the previous application and will evaluate your progress.
7. How do you define tenure?
A tenured (or equivalent permanent) post is an indefinite academic appointment that can be terminated only for cause or under extraordinary circumstances.
Applicants must hold a non-tenured position. This includes those who have non-permanent postdoctoral and/or non-permanent tenure-track positions (or equivalents such as proleptic lecturer positions). Those in a tenured position (or equivalents, such as permanent lecturer position) are not eligible to apply.
8. When do I need to have obtained my PhD/MD or equivalent in the Scientific Achievement category?
You should have obtained your PhD degree, MD, or other type of doctorate by dissertation after 31 December 2015. This period will be extended in case of maternity leaves or other leaves of absences taken during the 10-year period which can be specified in the application form.
9. If my Science Outreach initiative has both boys and girls taking part, can I still apply?
If the percentage of girls is less than 100% of those taking part, you need a clear explanation of how your initiative primarily focuses on girls. We will consider all initiatives where at least 50% of those taking part are girls.
10. Who can I contact for more information?
Please don’t hesitate to contact us via awards@nature.com if you require any further information.
