Prix international UNESCO-Al Fozan pour la promotion des jeunes scientifiques

Le Prix international UNESCO-Al Fozan pour la promotion des jeunes scientifiques dans les domaines des sciences, de la technologie, de l’ingénierie et des mathématiques (STIM) favorisera la collaboration, l'avancement et la popularisation de la science ainsi que la coopération internationale afin de faire progresser l'expertise scientifique à l'échelle mondiale et de répondre aux besoins des jeunes scientifiques dans les pays qui accusent un retard dans le domaine de la science et de la technologie.

La science a transformé le monde dans lequel nous vivons. Elle a eu un impact sur notre qualité de vie d'une multitude de façons. Les sciences, les technologies, l'ingénierie et les mathématiques (STIM) sont au cœur de ce processus de changement mené par la science. Les STIM sont de plus en plus reconnus comme un moteur fondamental des stratégies de développement socio-économique des pays.

De nombreux pays connaissent une crise de l'enseignement des STEM. Les étudiants les plus brillants abandonnent les matières STIM à un rythme alarmant, en raison d'un manque d'intérêt, d'un manque d'accès, d'un manque de méthodes d'enseignement et, dans de nombreux cas, de l'absence d'inspiration par le biais de modèles à suivre. Nous avons besoin de modèles, mais nous devons également relever les défis auxquels sont confrontées les filles et les femmes dans l'enseignement des STIM. Nous devons introduire une approche plus sensible au genre dans l'enseignement des matières STEM et veiller à réduire l'écart entre les sexes en matière de culture numérique.

The UNESCO-Al Fozan International Prize for the Promotion of Young Scientists in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) aims to strengthen STEM research, STEM education and international cooperation to confront the global challenges addressed by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Prize will give recognition to the achievements of young people that are conducive to socio-economic transformation and development on a global scale while also increasing the interest of young people, particularly girls and women, in science so as to promote gender equality, scientific literacy and the choice of a scientific career.

It is awarded every two years to five laureates from the five geographic regions of UNESCO (Africa, Arab States, Asia and the Pacific, Europe and North America and Latin America and the Caribbean), its purpose to encourage youth participation in STEM, in particular women and girls, so as to promote gender equality, scientific literacy and the choice of a scientific career.

The Prize consists of an award of US $ 50,000 for each of the five laureates as well as a medal and a diploma. In line with UNESCO’s global priority on Gender Equality, the proposed Prize will also serve to encourage more women to adopt and pursue a STEM career.

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The Al Fozan Foundation (Saudi Arabia) proposed to establish and fund a UNESCO-Al Fozan International Prize for the promotion of young scientists in STEM to contribute to generating STEM research, technology, and innovation, as well as pushing the production and application of scientific knowledge to the centre of societal and economic development, in line with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Eligibility Criteria

The Prize is awarded to candidates shall have earned recognition for their significant achievement/contribution to:

• Research in the STEM including the emerging technologies or;
• STEM education, dissemination of research findings, as well as creativity and innovation or;
• International or regional cooperation in STEM.

Candidates must be less than 40 years old at the time of the application deadline.

Candidatures of young women scientists are encouraged.

Who can submit nominations?

The nominations can be submitted by the following entities:

• Governments of Member States, in consultation with their National Commissions
• Non-governmental organizations maintaining official partnerships with UNESCO and active in relevant fields covered by the Prize
• UNESCO Chairs
• Category 2 Centres
• International scientific unions
• Universities

Nominations must be completed in full in English or French.

Each nomination shall be accompanied by a written recommendation, which shall include:

• a description of the candidate’s background and achievements
• a summary of the work, publications and other supporting documents of major importance, submitted for consideration
• a description of the candidate’s contribution to the Prize’s objectives.

No self-nomination shall be considered.

The five members of the jury of the Prize were appointed in February 2022 by the Director-General for a two-year period, renewable for a maximum period of six years. These members of the international scientific community, with recognized expertise in the area of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) will review the applications and submit their recommendations to the Director-General.

Didier Queloz (Switzerland)

2019 Nobel Prize in Physics

Professor of Physics – Cambridge Cavendish Laboratory

Ngo Bao Chau (Vietnam)

2010 Fields Medal

Distinguished Professor, Chicago University

Edna Matta-Camacho (Colombia)

Structural biologist

Founder of STEM Tolima

Fadji Zaouna Maina (Niger)

Associate Earth scientist

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Adah Almutairi (Saudi Arabia‎)

Director of the Center for Excellence in Nanomedicine and Engineering

University of California, San Diego 

Secretariat of the UNESCO-Al Fozan International Prize for the Promotion of Young Scientists in STEM

Natural Sciences Sector

UNESCO

7, Place de Fontenoy

75352 Paris SP 07, France

Email : unescoalfozanprize@unesco.org