TWAS Awards

The TWAS Awards (previosuly called 'TWAS Prizes') are awarded to individual scientists from developing countries in recognition of an outstanding contribution to scientific knowledge in nine fields of sciences and/or to the application of science and technology to sustainable development. To abide by the decision of the TWAS Council taken in November 2018, the cycle of the TWAS Awards will be every two years. Additionally, during the TWAS Council meeting held in Hangzhou, China, on 11 November 2019, the request by UNESCO to change the term 'prize' to 'award' for all existing and new TWAS distinctions other than medals was approved, and therefore this award scheme is now called 'TWAS Awards'.

For a list of previous recipients, please click on: List of recipients 1985–.

Nature

• TWAS provides nine awards of USD 10,000 each (a reduced amount was decided by the TWAS Council in December 2018, and then revised during the Council meeting held in Hangzhou, China, on 11 November 2019) in the following fields: Agriculture, Nutrition & Food Systems Sciences; Biological Sciences; Chemical Sciences; Earth, Climate & Environmental Sciences; Engineering & Computer Sciences; Mathematical Sciences; Medical & Health Sciences; Physics, Astronomy & Space Sciences; Social Sciences*.
• Each award is accompanied by a plaque.
• Awards are usually presented on a special occasion, often coinciding with the General Meeting of TWAS.

Eligibility

• Candidates for a TWAS Award must be scientists who have been working and living in a developing country for at least ten years immediately prior to their nomination. They must meet at least one of the following qualifications:
  • Scientific research achievement of outstanding significance for the development of scientific thought.
  • Outstanding contribution to the application of science and technology to sustainable development.

The outstanding contribution may be defined in relation to existing opportunities and realistic possibilities available to the candidate.
This applies particularly to candidates from scientifically disadvantaged countries.

• Members of TWAS are not eligible for TWAS Awards.
• Nominations from jury members in the scientific disciplines in which they serve as Independent Expert Committee member will not be considered.
• Self-nominations will not be considered.

Nominations

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE EXTENDED DEADLINE TO SUBMIT NOMINATIONS IS 5 APRIL 2024. HOWEVER WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE DEADLINE BUT SUBMIT YOUR NOMINATION AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE.

• TWAS is inviting nominations from all its members as well as science academies, national research councils, universities and scientific institutions in developing and developed countries.
• Nominations must be made on the on-line nomination form and clearly state the contribution the candidate has made to the development of the particular field of science for which the award would be given.
• Nominations of women scientists and scientists from scientifically lagging countries are particularly encouraged.
• The re-nomination of a previously declined candidate shall be accepted only if it bears substantially new elements for judgment.

Selection

Selection of the awardees is made on scientific merit and on the recommendations of the selection committees composed of TWAS members. The names of the winners will be announced on the first day of the next TWAS General Conference. The winners will be invited to receive their award during the 2026 TWAS General Conference.

How to nominate a scientist

The 'TWAS Awards' nominations can only be submitted electronically through the on-line platform by clicking on the “NEW NOMINATION” button at the bottom of this page.

To resume working on saved nominations, click on the "RESUME" button  at the bottom of this page.

The extended deadline for receiving nominations is 5 April 2024, however we strongly recommend that you do not wait until the deadline but submit the nomination as early as you can to enable us to process it as quickly as possible.

Before starting compiling the nomination, PLEASE PAY PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THE MAXIMUM CHARACTERS ALLOWED.

A nomination is considered complete only if includes all of the following information/material:

• Nominator contact details
• Nominee contact details (self nominations and nominations from jury members will not be considered) and general infomation on the nominee, including the country where he/she has been working and living in the past 10 years
• Scientific field the nominations if for (only one)
• Suggested citation (20-25 words highlighting the nominee's scientific achievements)
• Supporting statement which should explain carefully the work performed by the nominee, its significance and justification to its outstanding nature. The outstanding contribution may be defined in relation to existing opportunities and realistic possibilities available to the candidate. This applies particularly to candidates from scientifically disadvantaged countries
• Biographical sketch of the nominee in NARRATIVE style. Information on any time spent abroad of the home country in the past ten years is to be clearly provided.
• Degrees obtained
• Professional appointments
• Brief information on membership in academies and societies
• Brief information on awards and honours received
• List of 12 most significant publications listed in an internationally acceptable format.
• Google Scholar h-index and number of citations
• Contact details (especially email addresses) of five referees covering a wide geographical distribution, whom we can contact regarding the nominee's work. It is to be noted that referees reports can only be submitted through the online platform. In particular, the referees will be contacted by TWAS through the email address entered in the nomination form. Please note that if fewer than three meaningful referees reports have been received by the deadline set by the TWAS Executive Director, the nomination will not be processed. It is recommended that Referees place the focus of their letter on the impact of the nominee's work.
• The nominee's brief CV and her/his complete list of publications are also to be uploaded, separately, onto the online platform (only pdf files are allowed).
• Authorization from the nominee to process his/her personal data for the purposes of his/her nomination, in conformity to Art. 13 of the Italian Legislative Decree 196/2003. This authorization can only be submitted through the online platform. In particular, nominees will be contacted by TWAS by means of the email address inserted in the nomination form, and requested to submit online their acceptance, if so they wish, by the deadline indicated.

PLEASE CHECK IF ENTERED DATA ARE VALID

In particular:

1) While filling in the form, pay attention to the requirements for each field (e.g. maximum number of characters, file type -Word files will not be uploaded, only pdf files are allowed-, date format, etc.)

2) Run a check using the button of the form menu to verify that mandatory fields have been filled in and the data you entered are accepted. This also saves your form.
Every time you run a check, you are taken to the last section of the form named "Submit". Use the form menu to navigate to the previous sections.

3) After you run a check, fields with NOT ACCEPTED OR MISSING DATA will be highlighted in RED.
Please note that once you have duly modified the content of one or more fields, the red highlight will not disappear until you run again a check.

For quick tips, please click on: http://onlineforms.twas.org/documents/Applicants_tutorial.pdf

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE EXTENDED DEADLINE TO RECEIVE NOMINATIONS IS 5 April 2024. HOWEVER WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE DEADLINE BUT SUBMIT YOUR NOMINATION AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE.

Contact

Inquiries should be addressed to:

TWAS Awards
ICTP Campus, Strada Costiera 11
34151 Trieste, Italy
Phone: +39 040 2240 387
Fax: +39 040 2240 7387
Email: awards@twas.org

* Excluding Economic Sciences, please refer to the TWAS-Siwei Cheng Prize in Economic Sciences.

Note On 11 November 2019, the request by UNESCO to change the term 'prize' to 'award' for all existing and new TWAS distinctions other than medals was approved and therefore this award scheme is now called 'TWAS Awards' (prevously "TWAS Prizes"). These distinctions evolved from two pre-existing award schemes: TWAS Awards in Basic Sciences, instituted in 1985, to recognize and support outstanding achievements made by scientists from developing countries in biology, chemistry, mathematics and physics, and TWNSO Prizes in Applied Sciences, awarded since 1990 by the Third World Network of Scientific Organizations, in the fields of agriculture and technology.