There is a greater need than ever for international collaboration and open sharing amid the pressing shared challenges of sustainable development. Recognizing that the future of science and technology is dependent on today’s youth, the World Association of Young Scientists (WAYS) is cooperating with the International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals (CBAS) to initiate the World Association of Young Scientists Sustainable Development Goals Award (WAYS SDG Award). This award aims to inspire adherence to principles while fostering innovation and free exploration. The award also encourages young scientists to take on important roles that prepare them to lead the way toward our sustainable future. The award acknowledges the remarkable achievements made by young scientists and teams who have made significant original innovations and breakthroughs in core technologies, contributing to sustainable development and advancing human civilization.

Organizers 

World Association of Young Scientists (WAYS)

International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals (CBAS)

Sponsors

China Association for Science and Technology (CAST)

Wenzhou World Young Scientist Growth Foundation

Partners

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

International Science Council (ISC)

Steering Committee of the International Year of Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development (IYBSSD)

Global Young Academy (GYA)

Nomination

Self-nominations and nominations by organizations are accepted. Nominees should complete the nomination form online by the deadline, July 31, 2023.

Nomination form: http://www.aircas.cn/ways_nomination_form

Eligibility

All candidates must be aged 45 years or under. There are no restrictions on nationality or gender.

Qualifications

1. Candidates should demonstrate important, innovative achievements and outstanding contributions to the implementation of one or more United Nations SDGs through research in the natural sciences or through notable applied engineering support; or

2. Candidates should take part in or initiate international cooperation through big science programs and international cooperation projects related to the implementation of the United Nations SDGs, producing excellent output or the transformation of their results into significant social or economic benefits.

Review Procedure

The Review Procedure consists of four stages: Primary Screening, Primary Evaluation, Re-Evaluation and Final Evaluation.

1. The Primary Screening shall be conducted based on the "Scientific Contributions to Sustainable Development Index" with the use of artificial intelligence to screen and form a preliminary list of candidates.

2. The candidates on the Primary Evaluation List shall be subjected to expert evaluations by the Review Committee, with selected candidates moving to the Re-Evaluation Recommendations List.

3. The winning candidates shall be reviewed and determined by the Managing Committee under the Guidance of the Steering Committee.

Number of Award Winners

Five individuals will be chosen as winners from among eight Sustainable Development Goals selected for this award.

Forms of Award

1. Monetary reward: Each winner or winning team will receive a monetary reward of RMB 1 million.

2. Supporting incentives: Winners will be awarded membership in WAYS; opportunities to participate in high-level international scientific summits such as WYSS and relevant United Nations activities; priority support for implementing research projects; and other associated incentives.

Selected Research Directions

The 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals consist of 169 specific targets and 232 indicators, covering all facets of economic, social, and cultural development, as well as international cooperation. The International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals (CBAS) recommends evaluating eight of these goals based on the current quantifiable analysis of relevance and urgency in scientific development, including the assessment of the contribution of “multi-indicator intersection and integration” in fields such as basic sciences, applied sciences, and engineering technologies. The evaluation criteria will adhere to the principle of “data for sustainable development” proposed by the SDG Center and follow the standards of international expert review.

SDG 2 Zero Hunger

This goal pertains to biotechnology, breeding technology, animal and plant hybridization technology, as well as efforts in fields like the food industry and nutritional engineering.

SDG 6 Clean Water and Sanitation

This goal pertains to the investigation of water resources, particularly basic research on freshwater pollution control and recycling, as well as the research and application of technologies related to aquatic ecology and water environments (aquatic plants, animals, microorganisms, etc.).

SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy

This goal pertains to the utilization, research, and development of new energy sources, such as hydropower, wind power, solar energy, and nuclear energy, particularly the development and utilization of materials, engineering technologies, and key emerging technologies in the energy sector.

SDG11 Sustainable Cities and Communities

This goal pertains to the basic sciences, engineering, and computing disciplines related to sustainable urban development. It comprises technology for underground and above-ground spaces, smart transportation, disaster reduction and warning, urban air pollution control, urban human habitation, urban mental health, and other fields that are relevant to sustainable urban development, particularly interdisciplinary research, which is of great significance.

SDG 13 Climate Action

This goal pertains to outstanding achievements in research on climate geological records and natural cycles, such as the polar regions, ice cores, stalactites, and karst, as well as a series of revolutionary breakthroughs in the application of key technologies related to new energy utilization such as solar photovoltaics, battery energy storage technology, geothermal resource development, wind energy, and tidal energy that are closely tied to climatology.

SDG 14 Life Below Water

This goal pertains to research on marine and coastal environments. It comprises a range of remarkable achievements in the aquatic biology field, such as the application of biotechnology, the conservation of marine life such as coral, marine ranching, and the protection of endangered species.

SDG 15 Life on Land

This goal pertains to the degradation and expansion of terrestrial environments, such as forests, wetlands, and grasslands, with a particular emphasis on biodiversity research findings in typical ecologically vulnerable areas, including arid and semi-arid regions, polar regions, tropical rainforests, and the Tibetan Plateau region. Additionally, efforts are directed towards the safeguarding of terrestrial biological communities and genetic diversity, along with the application of biomedicine, gene editing, and other technologies.

Timetable

Applications will be accepted globally starting May 15, 2023, with a submission deadline of August 15, 2023.

The Primary Evaluation will be completed from August 15 to September 15, 2023.

The Re-Evaluation will be completed from September 16 to October 15, 2023.

The final evaluation will be completed from October 16 to October 31, 2023.

Winners will be announced ahead of November 10, 2023.

Awards will be given during the opening and closing periods of the WYSS on November 10-13, 2023.

For more information about WAYS and CBAS, please see: http://www.cbas.ac.cn/en/collaboration/Prizes/