About

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. In the event that it is not possible or advisable to hold such a ceremony, an alternative virtual presentation or acknowledgement will be arranged.
• 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 shortlisted applicants will: 

• Be profiled on the Nature Award 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 23:59 UTC 00:00 on the 8th April 2024 to be eligible.

Science Outreach Category

Eligibility criteria

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.

Evaluation criteria

Applications will be assessed against the following criteria: 

• Description of your initiative. 
• Success and impact of your initiative.
• Future plans.

Scientific Achievement Category

Eligibility criteria

• 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 scored with a focus on scientific achievements, publications, and activities beyond research.