Science, She Says! Award for Junior Female Scientists

Deadline: 18-Sep-2026

The Science, She Says!Award 2026 recognizes outstanding junior female scientists under 40 who have made significant contributions to science and technology in five global regions. The award selects one scientist from each region and provides international recognition through an engraved medal and diploma presented at an official ceremony organized by the relevant Italian diplomatic mission. What Is the Science, She Says! Award? The Science, She Says!Award is an annual international recognition initiative established by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. The award celebrates the scientific achievements of promising women researchers and aims to strengthen international cooperation between scientific communities. It focuses on female scientists working in five regions: Africa and the Middle East Asia and the Pacific Europe Central and South America and the Caribbean North America One outstanding female scientist is selected from each region every year. Why Does the Science, She Says! Award Matter? Women researchers continue to play an important role in advancing scientific knowledge, technological innovation, and international research collaboration.

The award aims to:

Recognize outstanding women scientists at an early stage of their careers. Highlight women’s contributions to science and technology. Promote international scientific cooperation. Strengthen scientific links between Italy and other countries. Encourage mobility and collaboration among young researchers. Develop connections between international researchers and the Italian scientific community. Promote innovative models of scientific collaboration. Who Is Eligible? The award is intended for junior female scientists under 40 years of age who are conducting scientific or technological research in one of the five eligible global regions. Nominees must meet specific residency and employment-related requirements. Age Requirement The nominee must be under 40 years old as of 15 September 2026. Residency Requirement The nominee must have resided in the country from which she is nominated since at least: 1 January 2024 Place of Work Eligibility is determined according to the scientist’s place of work during the previous two years. This means the relevant region is based on where the scientist has been working rather than simply her nationality. Nationality Restriction Italian researchers are not eligible for the award. Who Can Nominate a Scientist? Self-nominations are not accepted. A nomination must be submitted by an eminent scientist in a leadership position at an eligible scientific or academic institution. Eligible nominators may include senior scientists associated with: Universities Research institutes Scientific academies Other recognized scientific institutions The nomination must therefore come from an appropriately qualified senior scientific leader. Are Team Nominations Allowed? No. The award recognizes individual female scientists, and team nominations are not accepted. Nominees are assessed according to several scientific and international cooperation criteria. Scientific Impact The selection committee considers the significance and impact of the nominee’s scientific work. Applicants should demonstrate how their research has contributed to the advancement of knowledge, science, technology, or innovation. Relevance to Italy’s Scientific Cooperation The nominee’s work should demonstrate relevance to Italy’s bilateral scientific and technological cooperation. This can include research or activities that create opportunities for collaboration between the nominee’s scientific community and Italian researchers or institutions. Promotion of Young Researchers’ Mobility The award also considers contributions to the mobility and international development of young researchers. Nominees are evaluated on their ability to contribute to new or innovative approaches to scientific cooperation. Connections with the Italian Research Community The nominee should demonstrate potential to establish or strengthen meaningful relationships with the Italian research community. This criterion reinforces the award’s broader objective of building international scientific partnerships. What Regions Are Covered? The Science, She Says! Award recognizes one scientist from each of five regions.

The regions are:

Africa and the Middle East Asia and the Pacific Europe Central and South America and the Caribbean North America The relevant region is determined by the nominee’s place of work during the last two years. How Does the Selection Process Work? The award follows an institutional nomination and expert evaluation process.

Step 1: Identify an Eligible Scientist

A senior scientist identifies a promising female researcher who meets the age, residency, regional, and nationality requirements.

Step 2: Submit the Nomination

The qualified nominator submits the nomination through the relevant process. Self-nominations and team nominations are not accepted.

Step 3: Scientific Evaluation

The nomination is evaluated against the award’s scientific and international cooperation criteria.

The committee considers the nominee’s:

Scientific achievements Research impact International collaboration Contribution to researcher mobility Potential for cooperation with Italy Innovative collaboration approaches

Step 4: Regional Selection

One outstanding scientist is selected from each of the five global regions.

Step 5: Official Award Ceremony

Award ceremonies are organized by the relevant Italian diplomatic missions. The selected scientists receive their awards during the official ceremony. What Does the Winner Receive?

Each regional award recipient receives:

An engraved medal A diploma Recognition at an official award ceremony The ceremony is organized through the relevant Italian diplomatic mission. The award therefore provides both formal recognition and an opportunity to strengthen international visibility within th