Frontiers Planet Prize

Status

The call for nominations is currently closed

Blue-toned underwater reef scene with logos for Frontiers Planet Prize and Australian Academy of Science
 

The Frontiers Planet Prize (‘the Prize’), established in 2022 by the not-for-profit Frontiers Research Foundation, recognises transformational research that shows the greatest potential to address the world’s most urgent environmental challenges. It is the world’s largest science prize in scientific solutions for planetary health, annually awarding US$1 million each to three international champions.

The Australian Academy of Science is the National Representative Body for the Frontiers Planet Prize in Australia. The Academy selects three nominees each year to submit for the Prize.

Eligibility

The Prize is awarded based on a single research output accepted for publication within the two years prior to 31 October in the year of application. Applications are welcomed from across all research disciplines.

Research outputs must be published/accepted for publication in peer-reviewed journals; books and book chapters are not eligible.

In-depth information about the criteria used for assessment can be found on the Frontiers Planet Prize website.

Application process

Research institutions must register with the Frontiers Planet Prize directly in order to participate in the Prize. Currently registered institutions are listed on the Frontiers website.

Interested institutions should contact awards@science.org.au for the link to register.

For researchers

Researchers apply directly to their institutions in approximately September. Each institution can nominate up to three researchers to the Academy; the Academy cannot accept direct applications from researchers.

If your institution is registered but you do not know who to contact, email awards@science.org.au and we will connect you with the appropriate contact at your institution.

For institutions

The Academy will contact registered institutions in October with instructions on how to nominate their chosen researchers. The Academy will use the contact information provided to us by the Frontiers Planet Prize; registered institutions should make sure their contact details are up to date by contacting info@frontiersplanetprize.org.

If you believe your contact details are up to date and you have not heard from the Academy by the end of the first week of October, contact awards@science.org.au.

Assessment process

All eligible nominations to the Academy will be assessed by a committee of scientists with diverse expertise. The Academy can nominate up to three researchers to the Frontiers Planet Prize.

The selected nominations will be sent to the Prize’s international jury. The jury selects a national champion for each country, who is announced on Earth Day the following year (22 April). From the national champions, three international champions are selected to be awarded US$1 million to support their research.

Timeline

September

Research institutions hold their internal call for applications. Deadline for institutions to register with the Frontiers Planet Prize is late September.

October

The Academy contacts registered institutions to nominate their selected researchers.

1 November

Deadline for institutions to nominate.

1 December

Deadline for the Academy to submit nomination to the Prize.

22 April

The Frontiers Research Foundation announces the national champions for each country.

June

The Frontiers Research Foundation announces the three international champions.

Past Australian awardees

© 2025 Australian Academy of Science

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