AAAS Mani L. Bhaumik Award for Public Engagement with Science

🏆 About the Award

The AAAS Mani L. Bhaumik Award for Public Engagement with Science, presented by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), recognizes exceptional contributions in connecting science with the public. This award highlights individuals who actively:

• Engage diverse audiences
• Foster dialogue
• Make science accessible and relevant

🎁 Benefits

The recipient of the award will receive:

• $10,000 monetary prize
• A commemorative plaque
• Recognition at the AAAS Annual Meeting

✅ Eligibility Criteria

To be considered for the award, nominees must meet the following requirements:

• Nominations can be made by individuals, universities, government agencies, media, research organizations, and AAAS affiliate organizations.
• Editors from publishing houses may only offer one nomination.
• Self-nominations are permitted.
• Prior nominations do not exclude a nominee from applying in subsequent years. Re-nomination is encouraged.
• Nominee must be an individual scientist, mathematician, or engineer. Groups or institutions are not eligible.
• AAAS employees are ineligible.
• Eligible nominees include active or retired scientists and engineers from all disciplines (including social sciences, mathematics, engineering, and medicine) who have contributed substantially to the public's engagement with science or technology.
• Public engagement activities must go above and beyond job responsibilities.
• Nominees considered "early career" may be eligible for the AAAS Early Career Award for Public Engagement with Science. Early career is defined as individuals who have completed their terminal degree within seven years of the nomination deadline.

📅 Application Date and Process

Submission Details:

• All nominations must be submitted electronically via the official nomination site.
• If an alternate format is required, contact awards@aaas.org.
• Nominations and supporting materials will not be accepted via email or post.

Required Materials:

1. Nominee Information:
   • Name, email address, institution, position, and phone number of the nominee.
   • Name, email address, institution, position, and phone number of the nominator (if not a self-nomination).
2. Brief Citation:
   • A 25–30 word description of the accomplishment(s) for which the individual is nominated.
3. Nomination Rationale:
   • A statement (maximum 3 pages) discussing the nominee’s approach to public engagement, including:
     • Goals, intended audience(s), and message(s).
     • Level and type of dialogue achieved with audiences.
     • Evaluation of public engagement work.
     • Examples of how public engagement has influenced the nominee’s scientific work.
   • Refer to the AAAS Communication Toolkit for more details.
4. Curriculum Vitae:
   • Limited to five pages, with a specific section highlighting public engagement activities distinct from job responsibilities.
5. Representative Samples:
   • At least two (up to five) samples or documentation illustrating the nominee’s public engagement contributions.
   • Letters of support (optional, up to two) count toward the five-sample limit.
6. Social Media Accounts:
   • If applicable, include relevant social media accounts used for public engagement.

Note: All materials submitted become the property of AAAS.

📌 Application Deadline

30 June, 2026

🔗 Opportunity Details

For more information, visit the AAAS Mani L. Bhaumik Award for Public Engagement with Science page.

To apply, visit the official application site.

📧 Contact Information

For inquiries, email awards@aaas.org.

• The recipient receives a monetary prize of $10,000, a commemorative plaque, and recognition at the AAAS Annual Meeting.