Sony Group Corp. and Nature magazine have come together to launch a notable initiative called the "Sony Women in Technology Award with Nature." This prize was introduced to acknowledge and elevate the contributions of remarkable female researchers in the technology field, a domain that predominantly consists of male researchers at present. The announcement of this award, made on March 6, aims to provide a platform to celebrate the work of emerging women researchers and engineers, with a specific focus on those who might not otherwise receive the recognition they deserve.
The inaugural three recipients of the award, who will be unveiled early next year, can anticipate receiving $250,000 each in research funds from this collaboration between the Japanese entertainment and electronics corporation, Sony, and the renowned British science journal, Nature. The joint effort reflects a shared commitment to advancing diversity and inclusion in society, particularly within the realms of professions where women are significantly underrepresented. Notably, the statistics show that women currently make up only about 30 percent of all professional researchers and less than 20 percent of professionals in the technology sector, underscoring the necessity for such an initiative.
In a bid to coincide with the International Women's Day on March 8, Sony and Nature magazine decided to establish this award as a means to advocate for societal diversity and inclusion. The selection criteria for the first three recipients of the award are based on the fields of mathematics, science, and engineering, targeting researchers who completed their undergraduate studies less than 25 years ago. Additionally, the award intends to honor at least one recipient who is in the nascent stages of her career, having graduated within the last 15 years, offering a platform for recognition and support to promising female researchers and engineers. Researchers meeting the specified criteria are encouraged to submit their applications on the award's official website until the end of May.