Welcome to October! Everything is pumpkin-spiced, and our attentions have turned to awards, as October not only heralds the closing date of this year’s Catalyst Grant program, but it is also the month that the Nobel Prize winners will be announced. Awards and prizes are a great way of incentivising innovation, but there are also challenges. People who win awards tend to win more awards in the future. Even putting yourself forward for self-nominated awards falls along the lines of privilege and confidence. And even if you win awards, there is no guarantee that it will have a positive impact on your research career as measured by traditional metrics of success. How can we diversify the talents we celebrate and support, and ensure that no groundbreaking discoveries are overlooked, in order to truly tackle the global challenges we are facing as a society? This is something I chatted about with Dr Gilbert De Gregorio, Associate Director of the Frontiers Planetary Prize when we caught up at the Falling Walls Science Summit in Berlin in November 2023.
A ‘Nobel’ Purpose
Alfred Nobel established the Nobel Prizes in the late 19th century to honour individuals or organisations that make extraordinary contributions in fields including chemistry, physics, medicine, economics, literature, and peace. The goal was to reward those who advance knowledge, promote human welfare, or contribute to peace. While his vision was inclusive, the early years of the prize often reflected the male-dominated world of science and academia.
The Impact of Winning Awards
Winning a prestigious award like the Nobel Prize can transform a career. It brings visibility, funding, and opportunities, enhancing credibility and often leading to leadership positions or influence in policy-making. However, with the honour comes pressure – the recognition can be empowering but may also come with additional scrutiny and challenges, making it a double-edged sword.
Gender Imbalance in Science Awards
All the winners of the 2024 science Nobel Prizes are men, especially at a time when more women are entering STEM fields and making significant contributions. This imbalance raises concerns about whether institutional barriers or unconscious biases continue to prevent deserving women from receiving recognition. The lack of diversity not only limits the acknowledgment of talent but also risks sending a discouraging message to future generations of women in science.
Why Diversity in Awards Matters
Diversity in awards is critical because it ensures that people from all backgrounds are seen and celebrated. When prize committees recognise a wide range of contributors, it helps break stereotypes and demonstrates that success in science and other fields is not limited by gender or background. It also pushes institutions to create a more inclusive environment, giving everyone a fair shot at success and setting the tone for a more diverse future in STEM fields.
The Frontiers Planet Prize: A Step Towards More Inclusive Recognition
A positive example of how awards are moving towards greater inclusivity is the Frontiers Planet Prize. This prize recognizes groundbreaking research addressing urgent global challenges like climate change and sustainability. The organisers have made a deliberate effort to highlight the work of a diverse group of researchers, shifting towards a more inclusive vision of scientific achievement. By focusing on issues that affect society as a whole, the prize aims to recognize a broader range of contributions, creating a model for how other awards can diversify and better reflect the world we live in.
You can watch the full interview with Gilbert on our YouTube channel, and check out our Speaker Series playlist on YouTube which includes chats with some of our previous speakers, as well as our TL;DR Shorts playlist with short, snappy insights from a range of experts on the topics that matter to the research community.
With thanks to Huw James from Science Story Lab for filming and co-producing this interview.
