Award Ceremony of the Second Edition of the UNESCO-Russia Mendeleev International Prize in the Basic Sciences

Basic sciences - chemistry, physics, mathematics, and biology – allow us to understand natural phenomena and drive innovation. Investing in these disciplines is essential to create the tools we need to address global socio-economic and environmental challenges, such as climate change, biodiversity loss, technology divide, water and energy crises.

Established as a follow up of the International Year of the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements in 2019, the UNESCO-Russia Mendeleev International Prize in the Basic Sciences was created to foster scientific progress, science popularization and international cooperation in the basic sciences. It also commemorates the remarkable scientific heritage of D. I. Mendeleev, father of the Periodic Table, whose work played a fundamental role in the future of chemistry, physics, biology, astronomy and geochemistry – but also in what is now termed sustainable development.

The Prize is awarded annually to two individual award-winners for their breakthrough discoveries, outstanding innovations and avid promotion of the basic sciences, driving or with potential to drive in the future, socio-economic transformation and development of human societies. The Prize consists of a monetary reward of US $250,000 for each of the two winners. A gold medal and a diploma are given to each of the recipients.

The Award Ceremony of Second Edition will be held at the Headquarter of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) in Moscow, on the margin of the General Assembly of the Academy, as part of the programme dedicated to celebrate the 300^th anniversary of its establishment.