TWAS-Abdool Karim Award In Biological Sciences For Women Scientists In Low-Income African Countries (USD 5,000 Prize)

Through the prestigious TWAS-Abdool Karim Award, women scientists from low-income African countries have the chance to gain international recognition for their exceptional contributions to biological sciences. This annual award comes with a cash prize of USD 5,000, acknowledging groundbreaking research and scientific impact.

About the TWAS-Abdool Karim Award

The TWAS-Abdool Karim Award in Biological Sciences was established to honor women scientists from the Least Developed African countries for their remarkable achievements in the field of biological sciences. Named after Professor Quarraisha Abdool Karim, former President of TWAS and a celebrated global health leader, the award highlights the critical role women play in advancing science, particularly in Africa. The prize also serves as an inspiration for young female scientists to pursue careers in research and innovation.

The award is sponsored by Professor Abdool Karim and is part of TWAS’s ongoing commitment to promoting gender equity in science and recognizing talent in developing nations.

Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for the TWAS-Abdool Karim Award, nominees must meet the following requirements:

Be a female scientist from one of the eligible Least Developed African countries (list provided below).
Be 45 years old or younger at the time of nomination.
Have lived and worked in one of the eligible countries for at least two years before the nomination.

Self-nominations and nominations by jury members are not permitted.
TWAS Fellows are not eligible for this award.
Nominees can only be considered for one TWAS award per year.

Eligible Fields

This award is open to research in Biological Sciences, encompassing a wide range of scientific disciplines within this field.

Selection Criteria

Nominations will undergo a thorough evaluation process:

Pre-Screening: TWAS conducts an initial review of the nominations.

Jury Evaluation: Shortlisted dossiers are evaluated by a panel of experts.
Final Decision: Professor Quarraisha Abdool Karim personally selects the winner based on the nominee’s scientific impact and contributions to the biological sciences.

Required Documentation

Nominations must include the following:

Complete contact details of the nominator and nominee.
Written authorization from the nominee to process their personal data for the award.
A citation summarizing the nominee’s scientific achievements (15–20 words).

A supporting statement detailing the nominee’s contributions to biological sciences.
Information about the nominee’s PhD, including the subject area, year of award, and awarding institution.
A comprehensive CV (up to 20,000 characters) highlighting key achievements.

A list of the nominee’s 10 most significant publications in an internationally recognized format.
A complete list of all publications uploaded as a separate document.
The nominee’s h-index from Google Scholar, along with the corresponding citation count.

Eligible Countries

The award is exclusively available to women scientists from the following Least Developed African countries:

Central Africa: Angola, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
East Africa: Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia.

West Africa: Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo.
Southern Africa: Lesotho, Sao Tome and Principe.

Benefits of the Award

Recipients of the TWAS-Abdool Karim Award will receive:

A cash prize of USD 5,000.
International recognition for their outstanding contributions to biological sciences.
The opportunity to inspire future generations of women in science.