The Third Marie Sklodowska Curie Award

To promote greater involvement of Japanese women in science, in 2021 the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) and the Embassy of the Republic of Poland held the first “Marie Sklodowska Curie Award”^* commending researchers who aspire to be active on the global stage. The award honors Marie Sklodowska Curie’s great contributions to science and technology even at a young age, and intends to inspire Japanese women in their 20s and 30s to pursue research careers alongside other commitments.

The award’s first and second editions were both a great success, with deserving winners chosen from a large number of applications assessed by a committee of external experts. For the third Marie Sklodowska Curie Award we will be accepting applications on behalf of researchers and by researchers themselves from October 2 – December 11, 2023.

The Grand Prize winner will have the opportunity to visit Polish universities and research institutes and create networks with a variety of researchers. By receiving a first taste of the European R&D environment in Poland, the winner is expected to “make a leap forward” in their career prospects and expand their international outlook.

Marie Sklodowska Curie: A world-renowned researcher from Poland who discovered two novel elements, "polonium" at age 31 and "radium" at age 32. She is the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, and the only person to win a Nobel Prize in two different scientific fields, Chemistry and Physics.

• Early career female researchers who have obtained a PhD within the last five^* years including postdoc (as of April 1, 2024), PhD students, and those who are equivalent to them.
  * Periods away from research due to life events, such as maternity leave, are excluded from this total.
• Any research discipline related to science and technology.
• Holding Japanese citizenship. Does not need to reside in Japan

Grand Prize（one person)

• Main Prize: A statue of Marie Sklodowska Curie from the Embassy of the Republic of Poland and a certificate from JST.
• Prize pot: 1M yen
• Sub Prize: Travel expenses (transportation and accommodation) to visit research institutes in Poland (Autumn of 2024).

Inspiration Prize（two people)

• Main Prize: Certificate from JST
• Prize Money: 500K yen (each)

Awardees will be selected by a committee of external experts.
1) Document screening
　*Two recommendation letters are required.
　*Recommendation letters from overseas are welcome, too.

2) Online interviews in English
　*Only those who have passed the document screening will be notified of the interview schedule.

• The Committee will evaluate the applicant's achievements to date, their potential (room for growth) as a researcher, and future expectations
• The Committee will evaluate the applicant's desire to engage in joint research with foreign researchers (European, etc.) and international cooperation
• In light of the great accomplishments of Marie Sklodowska Curie, the applicant's will to contribute to humanity will also be considered

Monday, October 2 – 12:00 Monday, December 11 2023 (Japan Time)

Please see the following website:
URL：https://www.jst.go.jp/diversity/researcher/mscaward/

• Application guideline download (PDF：103KB)

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Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (Japan)
Ministry of Education and Science (the Republic of Poland)

Name	Title and Institution
HARADA Naomi （Committee Chair）	Professor, Center for International Collaboration, Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, the University of Tokyo
IWAO Emma Haruka	Software Engineer, Google
EBISUYA Miki	Professor, Physics of Life, Dresden University of Technology Alexander von Humboldt Professor
OOGURI Hirosi	Fred Kavli Professor and Director of the Walter Burke Institute for Theoretical Physics, California Institute of Technology Director, Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe, University of Tokyo Institutes for Advanced Study, University of Tokyo
KOTANI Motoko	Executive Vice President for Research, Tohoku University / Professor, Mathematical Institute, Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University
SAITOH Eiji	Professor, Department of Physics and Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, University of Tokyo
NUMATA Keiji	Professor, Department of Material Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University / Team Leader, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science
HIBIYA Junko	Managing Director, Board of Trustees, School Corporation Sacred Heart Schools, Professor Emerita, International Christian University
Tomasz M. RUTKOWSKI	RIKEN Center for Advanced Intelligence Project (AIP), - Research Scientist/ The University of Tokyo, - Research Fellow

The Award Ceremony is scheduled for May 23 2024, at the Embassy of Republic of Poland in Japan. Details will be made available on our website.

Japan Science and Technology Agency
Office for Diversity and Inclusiveness, Department of Personnel
5-3, Yonbancho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8666
TEL: +81-3-5214-8443
E-mail: diversity[at]jst.go.jp