Sony Group Corp. and Nature magazine recently unveiled the creation of a new international prize, the "Sony Women in Technology Award with Nature," designed to acknowledge and elevate the work of remarkable female researchers in the field of technology. This prestigious award, established with the intention of championing women in a sector that is predominantly male-dominated, seeks to provide a global platform to showcase and celebrate the contributions of emerging women researchers and engineers who often remain unnoticed.
Magdalena Skipper, the first female editor-in-chief at Nature, emphasized the crucial need for more female representation in active research and engineering roles, highlighting the disparity in gender ratios within these domains where women currently comprise less than 30% of all professional researchers and under 20% in the technology sector. The joint effort by Sony, a Japanese entertainment and electronics giant, and Nature, a renowned British science journal with a history spanning over 150 years, intends to amplify the visibility of women in technology, positioned strategically ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8 to advocate for societal diversity and inclusion.
The inaugural phase of the award will see the announcement of the first three winners early next year, each receiving a substantial research grant of $250,000 (equivalent to approximately 37.5 million yen). Eligible applicants for the award, open for submissions until the end of May through the dedicated website, are women researchers in mathematics, science, and engineering who attained their undergraduate degrees less than 25 years ago. As part of the recognition, the winners will not only receive the research funds but will also have the opportunity to showcase their achievements on Nature’s prominent online platform.
Highlighting the criticality of diversity and expertise in fostering innovation, Hiroaki Kitano, Sony’s chief technology officer, expressed delight in collaborating with Nature on this significant initiative. The emphasis on honoring and supporting female talent in the tech industry through this award underscores a collective effort to bridge the gender gap and empower women researchers and engineers to thrive in these domains.