Gates Cambridge Impact Prize launched

  • August 27, 2024
Gates Cambridge Impact Prize launched

Gates Cambridge is launching an Impact Prize to celebrate its first 25 years

This new prize will highlight just how far-reaching the impact Gates Cambridge Scholars have made has been and is the perfect way of kicking off our 25th anniversary and looking forward to the next 25 years.

Professor Eilis Ferran

Nominations for the Gates Cambridge Impact Prize 2025 open today [15th August] in celebration of the Scholarship’s 25th anniversary celebrations.

Five award winners will receive £5,000 and be invited to participate in our 2025 anniversary events to highlight the impact their work has had on society.

The prize defines impact as a demonstrable contribution to change in various fields, including the economy, society, culture, the environment, public policy, health and quality of life. The work recognised should be innovative, transformative and sustainable. It must also respect fundamental values such as human rights, freedom, democracy, equality and the rule of law.

The prize is open to all members of the Gates Cambridge community, and both individual scholars and teams [of up to four people], where a Gates Cambridge scholar plays a substantial role, are eligible.

Nominations can be submitted by Gates Cambridge scholars, whether in-residence or alumni, and self-nominations are permitted. Additionally, nominations from external individuals or organisations are welcome.

Entries will be judged by an esteemed panel consisting of Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, the 345th Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge, former Chair of Cancer Research UK and the former Chief Executive of the Medical Research Council; Joe Cerrell, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Managing Director for Europe, the Middle East and East Asia; Professor Tebello Nyokong, Distinguished Professor of Chemistry at Rhodes University and the 2009 L’Oréal-UNESCO Award for Women in Science recipient; and Dr Gillian Tett, the 45th Provost of King’s College London, Moral Money Co-Founder and Member of the Editorial Board & Columnist at the Financial Times.

Eilis Ferran, Provost of the Gates Cambridge Trust, said: “Next year, we will be celebrating the contributions that Gates  Cambridge scholars have made over the last 25 years towards creating a better world for all of us, and the limitless  possibilities of what is yet to come. This new prize will highlight just how far-reaching that impact has been and is the perfect way of kicking off our 25th anniversary and looking forward to the next 25 years.”

*The deadline for nominations is 30th September. The prize-giving ceremony will be held in Cambridge in January 2025 to kick off the 25th anniversary celebrations.  To apply or nominate click here. For queries relating to the Impact Prize, contact alumni@gatescambridge.org.

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