Irène Joliot-Curie prize: A new session to promote the excellence of women in sciences

The Irène Joliot-Curie Prize was created in 2001 to promote remarkable careers of women in sciences marked by “excellence and dynamism”. It was improved in 2011 with a scientific partnership with the Academy of Sciences and the Academy of technologies, now in charge of assembling the jury. In 2020, this jury will be presided by Catherine Cesarsky, scientific counsellor to the Atomic Energy Commission, and member of the Academy of Sciences.

Three categories to run

The Irène Joliot-Curie Prize is a tribute to Irène Joliot-Curie, a French chemist, physicist and political woman, Nobel prize of chemistry in 1935. Every year, the prize is open in three categories symbolising and awarding major women in science:

• The Female scientist of the year prize awards 40,000 euros and honours any woman who made a contribution in the public or private research field through the significance, and national and international recognition of her work in science 
   
• The Young Female Scientist prize spotlights and supports a young woman considered as a talented specialist in her field thanks to her career and work; 
   
• The Women in business and technology Prize awards a female scientist who developed useful innovations for society by working in a company or participated in the creation of a company

The last two prize award 15,000 euros each.

A widely open contest

The rules of the contest specify that “any woman, without condition of nationality whose professional activity is dedicated to research in any field of science and/or technology” may apply.

However, the rules specify that “the applicant must be residing in France and work in research and/or technology activities in a public or private institution or company, on the French territory, for at least three years from January 1st.”