11th USERN Prize Awarding Festival: A Milestone in Scientific Recognition

The USERN Prize is a prestigious international award that recognizes young researchers under the age of 40 for their exceptional contributions to science. This esteemed prize highlights groundbreaking work across five key fields: Formal Sciences, Physical-Chemical Sciences, Biological Sciences, Medical Sciences, and Social Sciences.

The 11th USERN Prize Festival will take place in 2026 in Astana, Kazakhstan, where leading researchers from around the world will gather to celebrate and honor the most innovative minds in science today. This event will serve as a global platform to recognize young innovators whose research is having a positive impact worldwide.

Applications for the prize opened on January 1, 2026, and the deadline for submissions is June 1, 2026. Applicants will be able to edit their submissions up until the deadline, so accuracy and completeness in profile information are essential to ensure eligibility. The USERN Prize award ceremony will take place on November 10, 2026, coinciding with World Science Day for Peace and Development, a day dedicated to recognizing the vital role science plays in fostering peace and sustainable development globally.

At the 10th USERN Prize Festival held in Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil, winners from the United States, Spain, Australia, Poland, and Canada were celebrated for their pioneering work in fields such as AI in medicine, energy solutions, and biological sciences. These cutting-edge achievements are just a few examples of how the USERN Prize continues to support the future of scientific innovation.

Since its inception in 2016, the USERN Prize has been hosted in various cities across the globe, including Tehran, Kharkiv, Reggio Calabria, Budapest, Istanbul, Muscat, Yerevan, Plovdiv and Campinas, São Paulo. Each of these cities has infused the ceremonies with its unique cultural flair, providing an enriching and diverse backdrop to the celebration of scientific progress.

Winners of the USERN Prize receive a $5,000 cash award, with $2,000 in cash and the remainder given in the form of research grants or other forms of scientific support. In addition to the cash prize, each winner receives a USERN statuette, symbolizing their extraordinary contributions to science. Winners are also granted honorary membership on the USERN Advisory Board, where they can continue to influence and contribute to the scientific community. Furthermore, winners are offered opportunities to visit leading research institutes around the world, providing them with a unique chance to expand their knowledge and collaborate internationally.

What sets the USERN Prize apart is its emphasis on the quality and impact of scientific work, rather than simply the quantity of citations. By focusing on innovation, the prize honors those who are not only shaping the future of science but also working to solve some of the world’s most pressing challenges. Participation in the competition is free of charge, and the prize continues to invest in the success of young scientists, helping to foster global collaboration and scientific advancement.

To date, 50 researchers from countries such as the Netherlands, United States, Iran, Slovenia, Italy, United Kingdom, Spain, Canada, Australia, Russia, Denmark, Chile, Switzerland, Finland, Germany, China, Sweden, France, Belgium, Poland, India, and Brazil have been recognized for their outstanding achievements with the USERN Prize.

Don't miss out on this exciting opportunity! If you are an innovator in the field of science, submit your application before the deadline on June 1, 2026, and join us for the celebration of outstanding scientific achievements in Astana, Kazakhstan.