Call for Submissions: STAND Early Career Prize 2026

The Commission on Science, Technology and Diplomacy (STAND) recognizes outstanding papers by early career scholars addressing the history of science, technology and medicine in their international contexts. Since the inaugural award was announced in 2022, the annual STAND ECS award aims to provide support and recognition for fresh voices in the field.

Topics might include, but are not limited to: science diplomacy, international cooperation in fields related to science, technology or medicine, and the transnational circulation of technoscientific and medical knowledge, materials, and expertise. The annual STAND ECS award aims to provide support and recognition for fresh voices in the field.

Candidates must have recently been awarded a PhD (within the previous 8 years) or must be enrolled in a PhD program. We particularly encourage submissions from groups and regions underrepresented in the aforementioned research themes/areas.

2026 STAND ECS Prize

The award consists of a cash prize of 500 EUR and comes with the chance to present the winning paper at a virtual seminar. The award winner will be announced on Spring 2026. The prize committee of the Commission will consider in their reflection on entries the following: academic quality, methodological innovation, clarity in expression, and the integration of novel historical perspectives on science, technology, and medicine in their interplay with diplomatic history and the history of international relations.

Submissions should be in the form of an essay of 7,000 to 10,000 words (including citations and references). Entries should be of work not previously published. Manuscripts would be assessed in English. Those submitted in other languages are eligible for consideration; however, they must be either accompanied by an English translation or will be assessed based on a translation generated by automated translation software. For reasons of efficiency and to avoid potential translation-related issues, the use of English is therefore strongly advised.

 Deadline for submission is Monday 12 January 2026.

For all early career scholars interested in entering the prize competition, please send your submissions to STAND[at]manchester[dot]ac[dot]uk.