The Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) is accepting nominations for the Kovler Prize for Trust in Life Science Journalism. This annual award, made possible by a donation from the Judy and Peter Blum Kovler Foundation, recognizes excellence in journalism that fosters public trust and understanding of life sciences. The prize honors individual reporters who help the public navigate complex scientific and health-related topics by presenting them in a clear and engaging manner. The award includes a $25,000 honorarium.
The prize is open to U.S.-based journalists working with accredited or independent news outlets. Eligible entries include work in print, video, or auditory media such as articles, videos, or broadcasts. A portion of the candidate’s body of work must be published in journalistic outlets. Federal employees may be nominated but must confirm eligibility for receiving personal cash prizes. NIH journalists are also eligible and should consult their Ethics Office as needed.
Nominations must be submitted through the Evalato platform. The required materials include a 250-word summary describing the nominee’s contributions, a resume or CV with up to five pages including only 3–5 published works, two letters of recommendation, and accessible copies or links to 3–5 samples of the nominee’s published work. If any work is behind a paywall, nominators must provide passwords or use accessible platforms such as Dropbox, Vimeo, or YouTube.
The deadline to submit nominations is Friday, June 6, 2025 at 5 p.m. ET. The award will be presented in person at the annual FNIH Awards Ceremony in Washington, DC, with travel expenses covered by FNIH. All nominees and nominators are prohibited from contacting jury members; questions should be directed to awards@fnih.org.
The Kovler Prize celebrates the role of journalism in building public trust in life science and supporting informed healthcare decisions. Previous recipients include Dr. Katherine J. Wu, recognized for her science communication during the COVID-19 pandemic and contributions to top outlets including The Atlantic, National Geographic, and Scientific American.
Do not exceed 5 publication samples. Provide accessible links or PDFs. Passwords must be included if behind paywalls. Use Evalato platform.
