The Swiss Science Prize Marcel Benoist is Switzerland’s most important research prize. It honours scientists whose work is of relevance to all aspects of human life and society. The research must be of excellent quality, as well as being original, innovative and topical. Eleven winners of the Swiss Science Prize Marcel Benoist have gone on to win the Nobel Prize, the most recent being Professor Michel Mayor of the University of Geneva in 2019.

After the Marcel Benoist prize was awarded in the fields of the humanities and social sciences in 2021, nominations may be submitted in 2022 for outstanding research achievements in the natural sciences. Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin, Chairman of the Marcel Benoist Foundation, sees great possibilities in the natural sciences for tackling current and future challenges. “In the field of sustainable development, research must also contribute to the UN’s 2030 Agenda. The natural sciences have an important role to play. I look forward to receiving many compelling nominations. We have high-profile scientists in Switzerland who deserve this award!”

Once again this year, a joint awards ceremony of the Benoist and Latsis foundations will be held for the prizewinners of the Swiss Science Prizes Marcel Benoist and Latsis. The awards ceremony will be held on 3 November 2022 in Bern. The prizewinners will be presented to the public in September.

Submit your nomination until 15 March 2022

The Marcel Benoist Foundation has given the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) the task, with the support of the Confederation, of evaluating the nominees and selecting the winner for the attention of the Board of Trustees. Researchers and representatives of institutions of higher education, research institutions and other public or private institutions can nominate researchers who are resident in Switzerland and work at least 50% at a Swiss research institution. The majority of the relevant research work must have been carried out in Switzerland. You will find all nomination information on the website of the Marcel Benoist Foundation.

Nominations can be submitted from now until 15 March on the website of the Marcel Benoist Foundation: https://marcel-benoist.ch/en/nomination-2022.

Swiss Science Prize Marcel Benoist: the nomination procedure begins