Applications are open for the Science & SciLifeLab Prize for Young Scientists 2025. The Science & SciLifeLab Prize for Young Scientists was established in 2013. It is a global Prize aimed at rewarding scientists at an early stage of their careers.
About Science & SciLifeLab Prize for Young Scientists
Opportunity Details
- Date Published: April 25, 2025
- Application Deadline: June 15, 2025
- Category: Contest
Science, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), and SciLifeLab, joined forces in creating the Science & SciLifeLab Prize for Young Scientists to recognize excellence amongst young researchers from around the world. The Prize was launched with the vision to recognize that global economic health is dependent upon a vibrant research community. A vision that will only come true if we encourage our best and brightest to continue in their chosen fields of research.
Categories
- Cell and Molecular Biology: Research in this category includes cellular and molecular processes at levels ranging from single molecule to single cell to tissue and organ systems.
- Genomics, Proteomics and Systems Biology Approaches: Research in this category focuses on genomics, proteomics, integrative omics and systems biology approaches, incuding computational, to facilitate comprehensive understanding of living cells, organisms and species.
- Ecology & Environment: Research in this category encompasses interactions between organisms and their environment, and how these processes are influenced by human activity.
- Molecular Medicine: Research in this category aims at building on the molecular understanding of disease in humans to develop preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, including individualized medicine.
Benefits of Science & SciLifeLab Prize for Young Scientists
- The grand prize winner receives $30,000 USD and each of the other category winners receives $10,000 USD.
- In addition, the grand prize winning essay is published in Science magazine and each of the other three winning essays are published at Science online.
- Furthermore, all four of the award winners are invited to Sweden for the prize ceremony, held the same week as the Nobel Prize ceremony, attend a scientific symposium to present their work, and be invited to a series of social events in which they are able to network with notable scientific researchers in their fields. Each winner may also bring one guest to the festivities.
Science & SciLifeLab Prize for Young Scientists Requirements
Rules of Eligibility
- The research described in the entrant’s thesis must fall within one of the following categories (Subject Tracks):
- Cell and Molecular Biology: Research in this category includes cellular and molecular processes at levels ranging from single molecule to single cell to tissue and organ systems.
- Genomics, Proteomics and Systems Biology approaches: Research in this category focuses on genomics, proteomics, integrative omics and systems biology approaches, including computational, to facilitate comprehensive understanding of living cells, organisms and species.
- Ecology and Environment: Research in this category encompasses interactions between organisms and their environment, and how these processes are influenced by human activity.
- Molecular Medicine: Research in this category aims at building on the molecular understanding of disease in humans to develop preventive, diagnostic, and therapeutic approaches, including individualized medicine.
- Text generated from AI, machine learning, or similar algorithmic tools cannot be used to generate the submission nor its accompanying figures, images, or graphics. Limited editing with tools such as Grammarly is acceptable but must be declared. During submission, entrants will be required to declare they have not used AI inconsistent with this requirement. Entrants are accountable for the accuracy of the entry and for ensuring that there is no plagiarism. They must also ensure that all sources are appropriately cited and should carefully review the work to guard against bias that may be introduced by AI. Editors may decline to consider an entry if AI is used inappropriately.
- The prize will only recognize work that was performed while the entrant was a graduate student.
- The prize will be awarded without regard to sex, race, or nationality.
- An entrant may not win more than one Science Prize using the same essay or a similar essay on the same research.
- Essays on the same research cannot win more than one Science Prize regardless of who the entrant is.
- Past winners of a Science Prize cannot be eligible for another Science Prize until at least 5 years have passed since the award.
- While the research may be part of a larger team effort, for the purposes of this Prize, an eligble entrant must be a single individual and the essay must focus on their contribution.
- Employees of Science/AAAS, collaborators in the management or sponsorship of this prize and their relatives, as well as the following are not eligible to enter:
- Scientists who were Ph.D. students in the groups of any past or present member of the SciLifeLab management group (SciLifeLab Director, Co-Director, Infrastructure Director and Scientific Directors), the Integration Directors, or any member of the SciLifeLab Board.
- Entrants for the 2025 prize must have been awarded their Ph.D. between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2024. As a rule, they will only accept submissions once within this time period.
Application Date and Process
The entrant must submit the following items:
- A completed Entry Form.
- An essay, written by the entrant, describing the thesis work and its implications for research in the selected Subject Track.
- The essay must not exceed 1,000 words in length and may include one figure or table and up to 15 references cited numerically in the text (not included in word count).
- A one-page reference letter from your advisor or a member of your thesis committee. The letter should include an assessment of the applicant and comment on the significance of the applicant’s research.
- The abstract of the thesis (not to exceed four double-spaced typed pages).
- A list of the following:
- Full citations of all published or in-press papers on the research described in the essay;
- Academic and professional awards and honors that the entrant has received; and
- Relevant professional experience.
The Entry Form and additional submission materials must be submitted electronically through the prize-management system.
Below is a timeline for the prize-selection process. You will be contacted only if there are additional materials or information needed.
August/September: Compilation and Review of Submissions
October/November: Selection of Prize Winner
December: Announcement of Prize Winner & Awards Ceremony in Stockholm
Application Deadline
15 June, 2025
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Science & SciLifeLab Prize for Young Scientists
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