More information on the awards listed below can be found here. We have updated our nomination policies, nominators may no longer nominate individuals from their home institution. The full nomination requirements can be found here. 

Alexander Hollaender Award in Biophysics
Honors outstanding contributions made to the field of biophysics and is presented with a $20,000 prize.

Arctowski Medal
Honors outstanding contributions to the study of solar physics and solar terrestrial relationships. Presented with a $100,000 prize, plus $100,000 to support research in solar physics and solar terrestrial relationships at an institution of the recipient's choice.

Henry Draper Medal
Honors a recent, no earlier than 2021, original investigation in astronomical physics. Presented with a $25,000 prize.

James Prize in Science and Technology Integration
Honors outstanding contributions made by researchers who are able to adopt or adapt information or techniques from outside their fields, and thus integrate knowledge from two or more disciplines (e.g., engineering, mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, biomedicine, geosciences, astronomy, or computational sciences) to solve a major contemporary challenge not addressable from a single disciplinary perspective and is presented with a $50,000 prize.

Michael and Sheila Held Prize
Honors an outstanding, recent (within the previous 8 years) work in combinational and discrete optimization, or related parts of computer science. Presented with a $100,000 prize.  

NAS Award for Chemistry in Service to Society
Honors contributions to chemistry that clearly satisfy a societal need and is presented with a $20,000 prize. The award is given in alternate years to chemists working in industry and to those in academia, government, and nonprofit organizations. The 2025 award will be presented to a chemist working in academia, government, and nonprofit organizations.

NAS Award for Scientific Discovery
Honors recent accomplishment or discovery in basic research that is expected to have a significant impact on one or more of the following fields: astronomy, biochemistry, biophysics, chemistry, materials science, or physics. Presented with a $50,000 prize, and $50,000 to support the recipient’s research. The 2025 award will be presented in astronomy, materials science, or physics. 

NAS Award in Early Earth and Life Studies- Stanley Miller Medal
Honors research on Earth's early development as a planet, including prebiotic chemistry and the origin of life; planetary accretion, differentiation, and tectonics; and early evolution of the atmosphere and oceans. Presented with a $10,000 prize.

NAS Award in Chemical Sciences
Honors innovative research in the chemical sciences that contributes to the better understanding of the natural sciences and to the benefit of humanity. Presented with a $15,000 prize.

NAS Award in Molecular Biology
Honors a recent notable discovery in molecular biology by a young scientist (no older than 50) who is a citizen of the United States. Presented with a $25,000 prize.

NAS Award in the Neurosciences
Honors extraordinary contributions to the progress of the neuroscience fields, including neurochemistry, neurophysiology, neuropharmacology, developmental neuroscience, neuroanatomy, and behavioral and clinical neuroscience and is presented with a $25,000 prize.

NAS Prize in Food and Agriculture Sciences
Honors a mid-career (defined as up to 20 years since completion of PhD) individual researcher at a U.S. institution who has made an extraordinary contribution to understanding the fundamental biology of an agriculturally important species and/or has had a major impact on agriculture. Presented with a $100,000 prize.

NAS Public Welfare Medal
Honors extraordinary use of science for the public good. The Public Welfare Medal is the Academy's most prestigious award.

Pradel Research Award
Honors mid-career neuroscientists whose work is making major contributions to our understanding of the nervous system. Presented with $50,000 to support neuroscience research.

Richard Lounsbery Award
Honors extraordinary scientific achievement by French and American scientists in biology and medicine. Presented with a $75,000 prize, proceeds to fund a lecture, and an additional $25,000 to cover expenses incurred in pursuance of research in France.

Selman A. Waksman Award in Microbiology
Honors excellence in the field of microbiology. Presented with a $20,000 prize.

Troland Research Awards
Honors unusual achievement by early-career researchers (preferably no older than 45) to further empirical research in psychology regarding relationships of consciousness and the physical world. Two awards are presented with $75,000 to support recipients' research.