Benoist Prize: "Great opportunity for humanities and social sciences"

"This year's prize is a great opportunity to showcase our work for politicians and the public," says Ola Söderström, president of the evaluation panel for the Marcel Benoist Prize 2018. "We can show how the humanities and social sciences enable us to analyse and better focus on developments in society as well as technological and scientific developments."

The Marcel Benoist Foundation has increased the prize money to 250,000 francs. Nominees should have won international recognition thanks to the quality and relevance of their research and should be among those expected to deliver important work in the coming years. As of 2018, the winner will be chosen by the SNSF in an open nomination process. He or she will be handed the prize by Federal Councillor Johann N. Schneider-Ammann, the president of the foundation.

"This is the most important science prize in Switzerland," says Ola Söderström, who is professor of social and cultural geography at the University of Neuchâtel. "It is therefore vital to secure as many promising nominations as possible." He calls on his colleagues – and the entire research community – to send in the names of suitable candidates. The process is very simple: complete the form on the website of the Marcel Benoist Foundation and submit. Nominations will be accepted until 11 May 2018.

Submit nominations for the Swiss Science Prize Marcel Benoist now!