Deadline:
May 29, 2026
Location(s)
Ireland Online Worldwide
Overview
The GBIF Secretariat is seeking nominations for the 2026 Graduate Researchers Award on behalf of Voting and Associate Participants. This annual programme highlights exceptional work of master’s and PhD students whose research relies on GBIF-mediated data and demonstrates innovation and discovery in biodiversity informatics (e.g. taxonomy, biogeography, ecology).
Details
The 2026 programme will provide two €5,000 prizes recognizing the work of early-career graduate researchers. Candidates must be formally nominated by node managers and heads of delegation from GBIF Participant countries. Each Participant country may nominate up to two students for consideration by the GBIF Secretariat.
From the global pool of nominated candidates, an expert jury coordinated through GBIF Science Committee will select two recipients to be named as the 2026 Graduate Researchers Award winners. The GBIF Secretariat will announce winners prior to the 33rd meeting of the GBIF Governing Board (GB33) in September 2026 in Oslo, Norway.
Submission process and deadlines
Students seeking nomination must apply to the node manager or head of delegation from a GBIF Voting or Associate Participant country (see the complete list). National participants are responsible for establishing their own deadlines and processes for receiving and processing student applications. Graduate students who seek nomination should consult the websites of their national GBIF Participants or contact the node manager or head of delegation directly.
National node managers and/or heads of delegation may submit a maximum of two nominees per country to the GBIF Secretariat to gradresearchersaward@GBIF.org by the deadline for submissions: Friday 29 May 2026.
Node managers and heads of delegations are responsible for ensuring that forwarded nominations are complete and include all the elements listed below in the award nomination packet. Incomplete nominations will not be considered.
Opportunity is About
Eligibility
Candidates should be from:
Description of Ideal Candidate
Eligibility
Candidates must provide a letter of support verifying their affiliation with a university graduate programme (as a currently enrolled master's or PhD student) to be eligible for the award. In addition, candidates must be either:
- citizens of a country participating in GBIF, or
- students at an institution located in a GBIF participant country.
Nominations can come from the GBIF delegation or node of either the candidate's country of citizenship or the country of the candidate’s host institution.
Dates
Deadline: May 29, 2026
Cost/funding for participants
Two awards of €5,000 prizes each.
Un-save Opportunity
Internships, scholarships, student conferences and competitions.
