Attention all researchers and communicators: Now is the time to apply for the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Award for Science Communication! These awards are given annually to researchers, science communicators, and science journalists for creating high quality and engaging science communications. Given by the National Academies for Science, Engineering, and Medicine in partnership with the philanthropy Schmidt Sciences, 42 committee and jury members review applications to determine the recipients of 24 annual awards totalling $640,000 — including 16 prizes of $20,000 and 8 prizes of $40,000.

    The categories and subcategories under which a science communicator can apply are

  • Research Scientist
    • Graduate Student Researcher
    • Early-Career Researcher
    • Later-Career Researcher
  • Science Communicator
    • Independent Communicator
    • Organizational Communicator
  • Science Journalist
    • Freelance Journalist
    • Early-Career Journalist
    • Local/Regional Journalist

    More information about each category and eligibility information can be found on the award website.

    In 2024, Grace Huckins took home the top prize in the Research Scientist: Graduate Student Researcher category. Having submitted writings for WIRED and MIT Technology Review about trans people’s mental health, Alzheimer's drugs, and AI, Huckins ultimately earned their award by combining “innovative scientific approaches with accessible communication methods to tackle some of the most critical issues of our time.”

    For the 2024 Research Scientist: Early-Career Researcher category, NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellow Sanjana Curtis received the top prize. Curtis submitted two articles about astrophysics as well as her TikTok account, and she was lauded for being “accessible and interesting through both her writing and video creation.”

    Both examples show that an ability to clearly explain difficult concepts is a priority for the jury. More information on prize recipients from other categories and from previous years can be found on the “Award Winners” page of the website.

    We encourage anyone whose work may fit into one of these award categories to apply. Applications open on February 28th and close on March 31st. Let’s get our amazing Virginia Tech science communicators the recognition they deserve!

Written by Bria Weisz, Center for Communicating Science graduate assistant