Royal Society Science Book Prize announces new supporter

The Royal Society’s Science Book Prize will be supported by the Trivedi Family Foundation in a five-year partnership, it has been announced today.

The new partnership, running until the end of 2027, means this year's award, to be made in London in November 2023, will now be called the Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize.

Submissions for the 2023 Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize open on 9 February.

The Prize, founded 35 years ago, celebrates the best popular science writing from across the globe.

The Trivedi Family Foundation, established in 2015 by entrepreneur, investor and philanthropist Ashok Trivedi, supports numerous charitable causes focusing on education, advancement of biological sciences and cultural inclusivity.

Ashok Trivedi is also a founder and trustee of Ashoka University, a private, non-profit university in India and a leader in the humanities and sciences. In January 2020, the Trivedi School of Biosciences was launched at Ashoka University providing biological science research and education.

Sir Adrian Smith, President of the Royal Society said, “We are grateful for the Trivedi Family Foundation’s support for the Royal Society Science Book Prize. Its founder, Ashok Trivedi, shares our vision and values when it comes to celebrating outstanding popular science books and the talented authors bridging the gap between science and society.

“Given the role that science plays in the technologies shaping our lives, public policy and our understanding of ourselves and the world around us, it's vital that we raise the profile of long-form science writing that informs, equips us with evidence and understanding, and feeds our curiosity.”

Ashok Trivedi, President of the Trivedi Family Foundation, said, “So many of the most urgent problems that face us today can only be solved by thinking in an interdisciplinary way. That's why I'm particularly pleased that the Trivedi Family Foundation is supporting the Prize, which celebrates two disciplines that are often seen as worlds apart, science and literature. Both set out to explore the world around us, bringing new ideas to life or challenge us to better understand what is already known, and both require passion and creativity. I am looking forward to exploring the 2023 shortlist when it is revealed later this year.”

Henry Gee won the 2022 Royal Society Science Book Prize for A (Very) Short History of Life on Earth: 4.6 billion years in 12 chapters (Picador). Other winners include Stephen Hawking, Stephen Jay Gould, Bill Bryson, Andrea Wulf and Gaia Vince. 

The shortlist for the 2023 Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize will be announced in September, and the winner will be revealed at an evening ceremony in November. They will receive a cheque for £25,000, with £2,500 awarded to each of the five shortlisted authors.

The Trivedi Family Foundation succeeds investment management company Insight Investment in supporting the Royal Society Science Book Prize.