TWAS Prizes for Young Scientists in Developing Countries

Purpose and Nature

• A major objective of TWAS is to recognize and support individual scientists in developing countries who have made excellent contributions to the advancement of science, measured in terms of the number and impact of scientific research papers published in internationally recognized journals.
• In many developing countries a system of awarding scientists for significant scientific accomplishments is not fully implemented
• Against this background, TWAS provides financial assistance to national science academies, scientific research councils and ministries of science and technology in a number of developing countries to enable them to institute a scheme of TWAS prizes for young scientists.
• The prizes are awarded each year in various fields of natural sciences on a rotating basis.
• TWAS shall make available a yearly amount of up to US$2,000 as prize money. Each awarding organization may decide whether to divide this amount into more than one prize per year.

Procedure

• The organizations intending to award TWAS prizes for young scientists in their respective countries will be requested to sign an agreement of collaboration with TWAS outlining the rules and regulations governing the scheme.
• Candidates eligibile for the prizes should be no older than forty years of age at the time of winning the prize; hold at least a Master's degree; have a good record of research publications in internationally recognized journals; be living and working in the country of the awarding organization.
• Nominations of women scientists are particularly encouraged.
  
• A committee of eminent scientists in the country — including TWAS members, where applicable — should be formed for selecting the prize winners. Names of committee members should be sent to TWAS for information.
• The awarding organizations should send a complete profile of the selected nominees to TWAS, providing details on their achievements together with curriculum vitae and list of publications. Approval of TWAS is required before announcing the names of the winners.
• The prize should be presented to the awardees by a high-ranking public figure (e.g., head of state/government, minister of science and technology) at a special ceremony.
• The prize money will be provided by TWAS to the awarding organization in the form of a cheque made out in the name of the awardees.

Participating Organizations

42 agreements with 43 organizations in developing countries have been signed to establish TWAS Prizes for Young Scientists; 5 more organizations (marked  below) have recently shown interest in establishing prizes in their countries, and are currently setting up rules and regulations for the awarding of these prizes.

1. Bangladesh Academy of Sciences
2. Benin Centre for Scientific & Technical Research (CBRST)
3. National Academy of Sciences, Bolivia
4. National Commission on Science and Technology, Botswana
5. National Centre for Scientific and Technological Research (CNRST), Burkina Faso
6. Cameroon Academy of Sciences
7. Caribbean Academy of Sciences, Trinidad & Tobago
8. Colombian Academy of Sciences
9. National Council for Scientific & Technological Research, Costa Rica
10. Cuban Academy of Sciences
11. National Secretariat for Science and Technology (SENACYT), Ecuador
12. Academy of Scientific Research & Technology, Egypt
13. Ethiopian Science & Technology Commission
14. Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences
15. Academy of Medical, Physical and Natural Sciences, Guatemala
16. Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Guinea
17. Iranian Research Organization for Science and Technology (IROST)
18. Royal Scientific Society, Jordan
19. Kenya National Academy of Sciences
20. National Academy of Science of the Kyrgyz Republic
21. Ministry of Communication, Science and Technology, Lesotho
22. National Research Council of Malawi
23. National Centre for Research (CNRST), Mali
24. Mauritius Research Council
25. Mongolian Academy of Sciences
26. Academy of Sciences of Mozambique
27. Royal Nepal Academy of Science and Technology
28. Nigerian Academy of Sciences
29. Pakistan Academy of Sciences
30. National Academy of Science & Technology (ANCYT), Peru
31. National Academy of Science & Technology, Philippines
32. Institute of Scientific Research and Technology (IRST), Butare, Rwanda
33. Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Sierra Leone
34. The South African National Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the Academy of Sciences of South Africa (ASSAf)
35. National Science Foundation, Sri Lanka
36. Sudan Institute for Natural Sciences
37. Supreme Council of Sciences, Syria
38. Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education (MHEST), Tanzania
39. National Research Council, Thailand
40. Scientific & Technical Research Council of Turkey
41. Uganda National Council for Science & Technology
42. National Council of Scientific & Technical Research, Uruguay
43. Uzbekistan Academy of Sciences
44. Latin American Academy of Sciences (ACAL), Venezuela
45. Vietnamese Academy of Science and Technology (VAST)
46. National Science & Technology Council (NSTC), Zambia
47. Research Council of Zimbabwe

This programme is for science academies, research councils or high-level research organizations in developing countries. For information about joining the scheme, please contact:

TWAS Prizes for Young Scientists
ICTP Campus
Strada Costiera 11
34014 Trieste
Italy

Fax: +39 040 224559
E-mail: prizes@twas.org