Sony and Nature partner to launch global award celebrating work done by women in technology

Sony Group Corporation (Sony) and Nature have partnered to launch the “Sony Women in Technology Award with Nature.” The inaugural award, open for applications from today, will recognise three outstanding early to mid-career women researchers in technology (including science, engineering, and mathematics) whose work is driving a positive impact on society and the planet. 

With women comprising less than a third of technology roles in the global workforce, Sony and Nature will use this award to champion promising women researchers during crucial phases in their research and career development. The winners of the award will be announced in early 2025.  All three winners will each receive a prize of $250,000 U.S. Dollars to support and accelerate work related to their research, and a chance to showcase their research and achievements on nature.com. 

Speaking of the awards Hiroaki Kitano, Senior Executive Vice President and CTO, Sony Group Corporation commented: 

“At Sony, we build technology for creators. We believe that creators are not just artists, but also scientists and engineers – people who are actively working to build an inspiring future. Technological breakthroughs and innovations to make them work in the real world, solving problems, and exploring new opportunities call for the highest level of creativity. To achieve this creativity, diversity of expertise and experiences is essential. We are excited to launch the “Sony Women in Technology Award with Nature” to support outstanding female researchers at a critical stage in their careers and delighted to work with Nature on this important initiative. We are thrilled to launch this program as part of our broader endeavour across Sony to support diversity in creative and technical fields.“

Magdalena Skipper, Editor-in-Chief, Nature added: 

“Research and technology have a key role in setting the agenda in how to address and tackle some of our world’s most pressing challenges.  Yet, of those who pursue research as a profession, only around 30% are women, and when it comes to technology, women are less than a fifth of those currently working in this sector. It should be everyone’s responsibility to support women in research and technology. Their contributions bring much-needed diversity and inclusion and deserve to be celebrated. If we are to see a technology sector that continues to innovate and think creatively, we need more women in active research and engineering. At Nature, we are in a unique position to help support that change. Through this new award with Sony, we can provide a global platform to celebrate the work of emerging women researchers and engineers who may otherwise go unheralded. Women who, through their work, are driving positive change for the planet and society need new opportunities to showcase their work and be awarded for it.”

Applications for the award will be accepted from March 6 through May 31, 2024. Submissions will be evaluated by a judging panel of independent, esteemed technologists, scientists and experts from across the globe, including Nature Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Magdalena Skipper as well as Dr. Hiroaki Kitano, CTO of Sony Group Corporation. Each application will be judged on the merits of ambition, innovation, conceptual excellence, impact and social significance.

For more information about the award, as well as full submission guidelines and criteria, please visit: https://womenintechnology.sony.com.

To hear more about the impact and aim of the award,  

click here for a video message from Hiroaki Kitano’s and here for a video message from Magdalena Skipper.

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Eligibility Details 

The award is open to applicants who self-identify as women and conduct research and development in technology, encompassing domain experts across all fields of mathematics, science, and engineering. An inclusive definition of “woman” and “women” applies, welcoming trans women, genderqueer, and non-binary people.Eligible researchers working within a university, research institute, or university spin-out company are encouraged to apply. This includes part-time and contract workers; a PhD is not a prerequisite in eligibility criteria. All three winners will be selected from early to mid-career stage (less than 25 years from undergraduate degree), with at least one from early career stage (less than 15 years from undergraduate degree).

About Sony Group Corporation

Sony Group Corporation is a creative entertainment company with a solid foundation of technology. Across its six business segments - Game & Network Services; Music; Pictures; Entertainment, Technology & Services; Imaging & Sensing Solutions; and Financial Services - Sony’s purpose is to fill the world with emotion through the power of creativity and technology.  

For more information, visit:https://www.sony.com/en/ 

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Nature Portfolio’s high-quality products and services across the life, physical, chemical and applied sciences is dedicated to serving the scientific community. Nature (founded in 1869) is the leading, international weekly journal of science. Nature Portfolio is also home to the Nature research and Nature Reviews journals, the leading open access multidisciplinary journal Nature Communications, and open access journals including Scientific Reports. Together, these journals publish some of the world’s most significant scientific discoveries. Online, nature.com provides over nine million unique visitors per month with Nature Portfolio content, including news and comments from Nature, and the leading scientific jobs board, Nature Careers. Nature Portfolio also offers a range of researcher services, including online and in-person training and expert language and editing services. For more information, please visit nature.com and follow @NaturePortfolio. Nature Portfolio is part of Springer Nature.

About Springer Nature

For over 180 years Springer Nature has been advancing discovery by providing the best possible service to the whole research community. We help researchers uncover new ideas, make sure all the research we publish is significant, robust and stands up to objective scrutiny, that it reaches all relevant audiences in the best possible format, and can be discovered, accessed, used, re-used and shared. We support librarians and institutions with innovations in technology and data; and provide quality publishing support to societies. 

As a research publisher, Springer Nature is home to trusted brands including Springer, Nature Portfolio, BMC, Palgrave Macmillan and Scientific American. 

For more information, please visit springernature.com