Nominations open for Applied Microbiology International Awards 2024

Applied Microbiology International is delighted to announce that its acclaimed awards programme is now open for nominations.

The Applied Microbiology International Awards 2024 programme is designed to celebrate the brightest minds in our field and promote the research, group, projects, products and individuals who continue to help shape the future of applied microbiology.

Last year the awards welcomed more nominations than ever before and AMI is anticipating even more entries this time round.

Team effort

AMI has overhauled the awards categories this year and each award will now be open to teams and organisations as well as individuals, based on feedback from previous winners who wanted to recognise the work of their colleagues in their achievements.

The winner of each award will receive £3,000 in prize money, a commemorative plaque highlighting their achievement, an invitation to submit an article to an AMI-owned journal, and the opportunity to present/chair at an AMI conference, webinar, roundtable, or similar event.

This year’s categories are as follows:

-  The WH Pierce Global Impact in Microbiology Prize acknowledges and celebrates individuals, teams, or organisations that have made groundbreaking contributions to global challenges through applied microbiology. This award distinguishes itself by encompassing a broad spectrum of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), illustrating the versatile and wide-ranging impact of microbiology in various global contexts. 

- The Basil Jarvis Food Security and Innovation Award honours the legacy of Basil Jarvis in applied microbiology by recognising and supporting outstanding achievements in this field. Aligned with Sustainable Development Goals 2 (Zero Hunger) and 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), this award targets professionals, researchers, and innovators who have made significant contributions to food safety, security, and sustainable agricultural practices. It celebrates their efforts in enhancing food production methods, addressing global hunger, and contributing to sustainable industrial processes, emphasising tangible impacts in these vital areas.

- The John Snow Public Health Innovation Prize recognises and supports excellence in applied microbiology, specifically targeting those whose work significantly improves public health and environmental sustainability. Aligned with Sustainable Development Goals 3 and 6, this prize is for professionals, researchers, and innovators who have made notable contributions to health and well-being, as well as to clean water and sanitation. It honours their efforts in tackling key health challenges and ensuring safe water access, emphasising real-world impacts in these critical areas.

- The Christiana Figueres Policy to Practice Award has been established to acknowledge the pivotal role of individuals who bridge the gap between microbiological research and policy. In line with Sustainable Development Goal’s, this award recognises those who have excelled not just in their scientific research but have also played a crucial role in translating their findings into practical and impactful solutions to real world problems. It honours the dedication and innovative efforts of these individuals in utilising microbiological insights to inform and shape effective strategies, addressing one or more challenges of our time.

- The Rachel Carson Environmental Conservation Excellence Award celebrates the enduring impact of Rachel Carson’s work in environmental conservation by recognising outstanding applied microbiology achievements in this field. This award is aligned with Sustainable Development Goals 14 (Life Below Water) and 15 (Life on Land), and is designed for professionals, researchers, and innovators who have made significant contributions to the conservation of marine and terrestrial ecosystems and the preservation of biodiversity. It honours their efforts in addressing critical environmental challenges and safeguarding natural habitats, emphasising the real-world impacts in these essential areas.

- The Dorothy Jones Diversity and Inclusion Achievement Award honours Dorothy Jones’s commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion within STEM. This award aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals which recognise that reduced inequalities are a core factor in attaining peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. This sits alongside strategies for achieving gender equality, eliminating disparities in education outcomes, ensuring equal access to education for all, and strengthening the global scientific workforce. This award acknowledges individuals or organisations that have made significant strides in these areas. It celebrates initiatives that dismantle barriers to participation and representation, especially for underrepresented groups, and recognises inclusive research and experimental design and practice. 

Fascinating events

Last year’s winners were scientists who are all taking microbiology in exciting new directions, and each is now spearheading a special event in 2024 as part of AMI’s packed events programme.

The first of these was a fascinating webinar and live experiment led by Dr Thomas Thompson, a Research Fellow at Queen’s University Belfast and the winner of AMI’s inaugural Jon Snow Prize, exploring the efficacy of cold plasma in water purification.

The next webinar, ’Deciphering the Microbiome: Research and Applications in Early Human Development’, was led by Dr Christopher Stewart, last year’s winner of our WH Pierce Prize. Next up will be a documentary interview on climate change mitigation with Dr Taniya Roy-Chowdhury, winner of the inaugural Christiana Figueres Prize 2023.

Later in the year AMI will be hosting a global roundtable on soil led by Professor Brajesh Singh, winner of the Dorothy Jones Prize 2023, an interactive panel on bacteriophages led by Dr Ben Swift, winner of the Basil Jarvis Prize 2023, and a creative workshop on microbiology’s role in saving our oceans and reefs led by Dr Raquel Peixoto, winner of the inaugural Rachel Carson Prize 2023. For more information about AMI’s upcoming events, visit the Events Calendar.

To find out more about AMI’s Grants and Awards programme, visit https://appliedmicrobiology.org/membership-community/grants-awards.html.