Applications open for the “Marcel Benoist Science Prize”
After the low profile of the centenary cause COVID, 250,000 francs will reward in 2021 the best studies carried out in the field of humanities and social sciences
Since 1920, the Marcel Benoist Foundation has awarded a scientific prize every year in Switzerland. In 2021, the 250,000 francs prize will be awarded for studies in the humanities and social sciences. Nominations can be submitted from now until April 15, 2021.
The Swiss Marcel Benoist Science Prize, as the competition is officially called, is the most important research prize in Switzerland.
It is awarded to renowned researchers in recognition of the importance of their work for all aspects of human life and society.
The prize is awarded taking into account not only qualitative excellence, but also the originality, innovation and topicality of the research.
Eleven Nobel laureates among winners in Switzerland.
Eleven of the prize-winning researchers were also subsequently awarded the Nobel Prize: the most recent, on October 8, 2019, was Michel Mayor, a professor at the University of Geneva, paired with researcher Didier Queloz, for “the discovery of an exoplanet orbiting a solar-type star”
In 2020, the prize was awarded for research in biology and medicine; this year, the best work done in the humanities and social sciences will be considered.
President of the Swiss Confederation, Guy Parmelin, who is also president of the Marcel Benoist Foundation, emphasizes the contribution of the humanities and social sciences to the solution of problems currently affecting the community.
“The year of the coronavirus has shown us once again that crises must be approached from a global perspective. Dealing with such a serious event requires concerted action, and measures that often involve the humanities and social sciences as well. So I sincerely hope that there will be many good nominations.”
Recover the celebrations of the year zero 1920
The centennial of the Foundation was in 2020, but for reasons related to the pandemic, the award was waived.
This year, Guy Parmelin is therefore particularly happy about the joint organization of two ceremonies, for 2020 and 2021: that of the Marcel Benoist Foundation and the awarding of the Latsis Prize. Both should be held in Bern on November 4, 2021. The winner of the scientific award will be presented or will be presented to the public in September 2021.
Nominations to be submitted by April 15, 2021.
Once again this year, the National Science Foundation (SNSF) has been asked by the Marcel Benoist Foundation to screen all nominations, with the support of the Swiss Confederation, and propose to the Foundation Board the researcher or researcher to be awarded the prize.
Researchers, representatives of universities, research facilities and other public or private institutions can submit their proposals by April 15, 2021.
Researchers who reside in Switzerland and work at least 50 percent at a Swiss research institution are eligible to apply.
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The results on which the candidacy is based must have been obtained primarily through research activities carried out in the country.
Those interested can find all the necessary information on the website of the Marcel Benoist Foundation.
Applications can be submitted now and until April 15 on the official website: https://marcel-benoist.ch/it/nomination-2021.