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Royal Society David Attenborough Award and Lecture
Nominations now open
The call for nominations is now open. Please ensure you read through the guidance document fully.
The Royal Society is encouraging nominations of joint collaborations, groups or teams for almost all its medals to better represent how contemporary science is undertaken. In addition, the Society is extremely keen to broaden the diversity of those nominated for its awards, so do please consider all contacts and colleagues.
You do not have to be a Fellow of the Royal Society to nominate or to be nominated for any of the Royal Society medals and awards.
Nominations close on Friday 23 February 2024 at 23:59 GMT.
Nominations are now open for this award.
David Attenborough Award and Lecture 2023 winner
Professor Richard Wiseman (Credit: Guys Hinks)
The Royal Society David Attenborough Award and Lecture 2023 is awarded to Professor Richard Wiseman for his sustained and innovative public engagement with the psychology of magic and the nature of deception, and his exposure of pseudo-science through multiple routes including books, videos and festivals.
The award
The Royal Society David Attenborough Award and Lecture is awarded annually to an individual for outstanding public engagement with science. The award, open to everyone, recognises high quality public engagement activities and complements the Michael Faraday Prize and Lecture. The award is named after the United Kingdom’s best-loved naturalist and broadcaster, and honorary Fellow of the Royal Society, David Attenborough. The medal is of silver gilt, is awarded annually and is accompanied by a gift of £2,500.
Eligibility
The Royal Society David Attenborough prize and lecture is open to UK/Commonwealth/Irish Republic citizens or those who have been residents for three or more years. There are no restrictions on career stage and nominations will remain valid and shall be considered by the award selection committee throughout three nomination cycles.
For further information on the eligibility criteria and the nominations process, please see our guidance (PDF).
Past winners
Professor Sir Jonathan Van-Tam was awarded The Royal Society David Attenborough Award in 2022 and presented his lecture Communicating Covid.
Dr Adam Rutherford was awarded the The Royal Society David Attenborough Award in 2021 and presented his lecture The Politics of DNA.
Professor Alice Roberts was awarded The Royal Society David Attenborough Award in 2020 and presented her lecture Ancestors.