Since 1886, the National Academy of Sciences has honored more than 1,000 individuals in the physical, biological, and social sciences through its awards program. Below are the awards that will be presented in 2027. We have updated our nomination policies, nominators may no longer nominate individuals from their home institution. The full nomination requirements can be found here. More information on the awards listed below can be found here. 

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

Gilbert Morgan Smith Medal
Honors excellence in published research on marine or freshwater algae. Presented with a $50,000 prize.

J. Lawrence Smith Medal
Honors original and meritorious investigations of meteoric bodies. Presented with a $50,000 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. 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. Presented in 2027 to a chemist working in industry with a $20,000 prize.

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 in 2027 in biochemistry, biophysics, or chemistry with a $50,000 prize, and $50,000 to support the recipient’s research. 

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 Evolution of Earth and Life- Mary Clark Thompson Medal 
Honors important services to geology and paleontology. Presented with a $20,000 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 $75,000 prize.

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.