The Richard Lounsbery Award
The Richard Lounsbery Award honors outstanding early-career achievements in biology or medicine by French and American scientists, promoting Franco-American scientific collaboration.
Funder: Richard Lounsbery Foundation
Due Dates: October 20, 2025 (2026 Lounsbery Award, French Académie des sciences call) | October 5, 2026 (2027 Lounsbery Award, National Academy of Sciences)
Funding Amounts: $100,000 total (2026, includes $25,000 for US research stays) | $75,000 typical (NAS-administered years)
Summary: Annual prize recognizing extraordinary achievement in biology or medicine by young French and American scientists, fostering Franco-American scientific exchange.
Key Information: Administered alternately by the French Académie des sciences and the US National Academy of Sciences.
Description
The award is a prestigious annual prize honoring early-career scientists (age 45 or younger) from France and the United States for outstanding contributions in biology or medicine. Established in 1978, the prize aims not only to recognize scientific excellence but also to stimulate research and promote reciprocal scientific exchanges between the two countries. The administration alternates each year between the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) and the French Académie des sciences, with the award amount and application process varying by administering institution.
