Initiative is organized by the IANAS Women for Science Program

The Inter-American Network of Academies of Sciences (IANAS), through its Women for Science (WfS) Program, has launched the call for nominations for the IANAS Young Scientist Research Award 2026, an initiative that recognizes outstanding early-career women researchers and supports the advancement of scientific excellence across the Americas.

The award is open to women scientists from Argentina, Bolivia, the Caribbean (CAS), Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela. The winner will receive USD 1,500 to support activities related to her research, in addition to having her biography featured on the IANAS Women for Science webpage and receiving an official certificate of recognition.

The nomination of candidates is an exclusive prerogative of the IANAS Member Academies from the countries listed above, each of which may nominate one candidate.

Click here to access the terms and conditions of the award.

Eligibility and Application Process

Eligible candidates must be women researchers who obtained their PhD within the last five years, that is, after December 31, 2020, and who are actively conducting research in their home country. Applications are welcomed in the fields of Life Sciences, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, and Technological Sciences. Career interruptions, including parental leave and other documented career breaks, will not be counted toward the eligibility period.

Nominations must be endorsed by the National Academy through a letter signed by its President and submitted to the IANAS Secretariat together with all supporting documentation no later than July 31, 2026. Applications that are not formally endorsed by an IANAS Member will not be considered.

Selection Process

The winner will be chosen by a selection committee appointed by the IANAS Women for Science Program and composed of representatives from non-participating countries and/or internationally recognized scientists. The evaluation will consider the quality of the candidate’s research, her scientific achievements, contributions to the advancement of knowledge, local and regional impact, publication record, student mentoring activities, and efforts to promote science within society. The committee will also take into account the local conditions under which the candidate develops her scientific career.

For further information, interested candidates and member academies may contact the IANAS Secretariat at [email protected].