Call for nominations: 2026 GBIF Graduate Researchers Award

The Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) has opened the call for nominations for the 2026 GBIF Graduate Researchers Award. The award recognizes outstanding research by master’s and PhD students whose work uses GBIF-mediated biodiversity data and demonstrates innovation and discovery in biodiversity science and biodiversity informatics.

The award is presented annually to two early-career researchers, selected by an international jury coordinated through the GBIF Science Committee. Each awardee receives a prize of EUR 5,000. The 2026 recipients will be announced ahead of the 33rd meeting of the GBIF Governing Board, to be held in Oslo, Norway, in September 2026.

Eligible candidates must be currently enrolled in a graduate program and be either citizens of a GBIF Participant country or enrolled at an institution in a GBIF Participant country. Formal nominations must be submitted by national node managers or heads of delegation on behalf of eligible students. Each GBIF Participant may nominate up to two candidates. Students interested in being considered for nomination should prepare an application including a research summary, project description, curriculum vitae, and supporting documents, and should follow the process established by their national GBIF Participant.

The deadline for nominations to reach the GBIF Secretariat is 29 May 2026. For Sweden, the national deadline is 22 May 2026. Swedish nominations should be sent to gbif@nrm.se. Students, supervisors, and others interested in the nomination process or have questions are welcome to contact GBIF Sweden.

Further details on eligibility, nomination requirements, and the selection process are available from GBIF at https://www.gbif.org/news/2qFpkI7rwBNbMuSjn2rtae/2026-gbif-graduate-researchers-award-call-for-nominations