The Award of the National Science Centre was established by the NCN Council in 2013 to recognise Poland-based researchers with significant basic research achievements. The NCN Award of PLN 50,000 is awarded every year in three research areas: Arts, Humanities, Social and Sciences, Life Sciences, and Physical Sciences and Engineering.

From the very beginning, the Award has been regarded by Polish researchers as a prestigious distinction for early-stage (young) researchers conducting basic research in the Polish research institutions.

The change of the research model (including an increased inter-sectoral mobility, career breaks for family or health reasons or economic situation of researchers often forcing them to delay their research career) resulted in the NCN Council amending the terms of NCN Award by changing the nominees’ biological age to their academic age.

Nowadays, candidates for the Award must be researchers who have been conferred their PhD degree within the past 12 years and have significant research achievements evidenced by publications affiliated with Polish research institutions. The period since their PhD award may be extended by any career breaks caused by inability to work, illness or childcare.

Candidates for the NCN Award are not publicly announced. As decided by the NCN Council, nominees may be presented by scientists with outstanding track record and research achievements, such as former winners of the NCN Award, former members of the Expert Team from Poland evaluating proposals submitted to OPUS, SONATA, SONATA BIS and MAESTRO, principal investigators of projects funded under MAESTRO and SONATA BIS, former NCN Council members, as well as other eminent researchers identified by the NCN Director and Council members.

Nominees are selected by the Chapter composed of the NCN Director and NCN Council members as well as representatives of Award co-founders (if non-state budget funding is acquired).

Former NCN Award Winners

NCN Award Ceremonies

Contact