What does it mean to win an ABSW Award?

Jack Goulder - winner of the Dr Katharine Giles Award 2025

Pictured with Dorrie Giles, mother of the late Dr Katharine Giles after whom the award is named

Winning an ABSW Award means a huge amount. I'm a really new writer, and I have to thank my editor Claire Longrigg at The Guardian, who is amazing. She guided me through so many drafts. This prize feels like it belongs as much to The Guardian long read team as to me. It means a lot to bring these stories to life—the people I got to know and work with. Hopefully, it helps demystify some of that experience.

Maeve Cullinan - winner Newcomer of the Year Award 2025 

Pictured with Jack Neill-Hall of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry, the Award sponsor

It feels like such a privilege to win an ABSW Award. It's great to be in such amazing company, with all the people who've previously won this award and all the other winners. It feels very special and it's very exciting.

All entries must be made via the official Entry Form that will go live here 09:00 1 January 2026

Categories Available for Entry

In 2026 there are 11 Awards, for self-entry

All formats

Print/Online only

  • Feature of the Year: general audience
  • Feature of the Year: specialist audience 
  • Opinion Piece/Editorial of the Year

Format specific awards

In 2026, the ABSW is offering one Award by nomination only. The Lifetime Achievement Award - our most prestigious award - is based on nominations from ABSW members. Find out more and nominate.

Key Dates

09:00 January 1, 2026 (GMT) - Awards open to entry

23:59 January 31, 2026 (GMT) - Awards close to entry 

May 2026 - finalists announced

July 2026 - winners announced at the annual awards ceremony in London - all finalists and ABSW members invited

With thanks to our 2026 ABSW Award partners: The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), The Dr Katharine Giles Fund, The Royal Society and our media partner AlphaGalileo

Would you like to support excellence in science journalism by supporting an ABSW award in 2026? Find out more.

Cost of Entry

ABSW members and members of the Irish Science & Technology Journalists' Association (ISTJA) pay nothing to enter the awards as it is a benefit of membership. Non-members are required to pay a fee of £55 per category entered. There is no fee to nominate an individual for the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Why not join the ABSW now to enter for free and receive all our membership benefits?

JOIN NOW

General Rules and Regulations

*New for 2006* All written/printed work MUST be entered by PDF, URLs are no longer acceptable as the judges have encountered too many access issues with URL entries (see below for acceptable file formats for all entries).

Work entered must have been published or broadcast on or between 01 January 2025 and 31 December 2025.

  • The cover date on the issue in which an article appears will be considered the date of publication;
  • The date/time of posting will be considered for online articles, podcasts or blogs;
  • The date/time of the first broadcast will be considered for radio or television entries; 
  • For a series, the individual episode entered must fall within these dates. 

Work entered must be accessible to the general public.

You can only enter once in each category (NB: for teams they must be ‘substantially different’ in order to enter more than once in a category).

You can enter more than one category (NB: for non-members you pay a fee for each category entered).

You cannot enter the same piece of work in different categories, apart from those entering categories where multiple pieces of work are allowed (Newcomer) as you can then enter these individual pieces in other categories. 

Submissions must be substantially about science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) or their impacts, rather than non-science pieces about health, medicine or the environment.

The Awards are for works published within the UK or Ireland and are intended for British and Irish-based journalists and writers, or those working for audiences in these two countries.

The Awards are for individual journalists and writers, or teams of up to four people, rather than for the organisation, institution, employer or publisher. All team members must be named in team submissions.

The judges reserve the right to reallocate an entry to a category different from the one in which it has been entered, as well as the right to withhold an award in any category. The decision of the judges in all matters will be final. The judges will not provide individual advice or feedback to entrants.

ABSW members cannot (i) submit to any category on behalf of non-member colleagues nor (ii) nominate colleagues – all entries must be submitted directly. 

Acceptable file formats

Print/Online: Entry by PDF ONLY. URLs will not be accepted. Entries made by URL will be disqualified.

Video: URL or widely accessible file format.

Audio: URL or widely accessible file format.

URL submissions must be fully accessible to judges.  Judges will not take out subscriptions, fill in registration forms or take any other steps to access your work. If the work is not immediately accessible from the URL provided the entry will be disqualified.

Files should be uploaded through the entry form - instructions are available on the entry form for larger files that the form system may not be accept.

NB: Please also read category-specific guidance under the description of each category.

Category Guidance 

Feature of the Year: general audience

Print/online only

For a feature published in print or online in any title that is primarily consumed by, and aimed at, a general, lay audience, whether broadsheet or tabloid in style. Examples include The Daily Mail, The Economist, New Scientist, Financial Times, Unearthed, BBC News. The feature may be part of a series or a standalone piece, but only one item in the series can be entered into the awards. 

You must submit by PDF

Feature of the Year: specialist audience

Print/online only

For a feature published in print or online in any title that targets specific, specialist audiences such as scientists, health professionals, chemists or engineers, whether trade press or other specialist publication. Examples include Nature, Carbon Brief, Chemistry World, Physics World, Computer Weekly. The feature may be part of a series or a standalone piece, but only one item in the series can be entered into the awards. 

You must submit by PDF

News Item of the Year

Any format

For a single news item published or broadcast in any medium. Examples include breaking news stories and first in-depth reports. The judges look for evidence that the story is new to a relevant audience, as well as excellent writing and original reporting.

Written work must be submitted by PDF

News Analysis of the Year

Any format

For stories that provide an insightful explanation of the science behind the headlines and valuable new context and background to the news. The judges are looking for excellence and creativity in journalism.

Written work must be submitted by PDF

Steve Connor Award for Investigative Journalism - in memory of Science Journalist Steve Connor

Any format

For an in-depth investigation into a topic of scientific interest, leading to a conclusion. Submissions should detail any lengthy or complicated evidence gathering, and any difficulties faced. The award can be for a single item or a series of items, although only one item in the series can be entered for judging. 

Written work must be submitted by PDF

Research Policy or Funding Story of the Year

Any format

For stories that tackle policy and funding agendas related to science and technology research.

Written work must be submitted by PDF

Opinion Piece/Editorial of the Year

Individual submissions, print/online only

For written work that expresses an opinion or aims to change opinion. This includes opinion columns, editorials and blogs.

You must submit by PDF

The Royal Society Audio Award - supported by The Royal Society

Audio only, eg: radio or podcast

For an audio programme or podcast where STEM is the primary issue covered. The award can be for a single programme or series, although only one item in the series can be entered.

Video of the year

Visual only

For video journalism produced for online and where STEM is the primary issue covered. The award aims to recognise content which is produced specifically for an online audience (rather than work intended for broadcast on a TV channel). The judges will be looking for great story telling and science communication. The award can be for a single video or series, although only one item in the series can be entered.

The Dr Katharine Giles Award for best new academic voice - supported by the Dr Katharine Giles Fund

Any format

This award is intended to encourage more academic scientists, technologists and engineers to communicate with the public through the media and is therefore for those relatively new to producing content for a media outlet rather than academics with an established media career (ie: regular column, podcast or TV programme for example).

Written work must be submitted as PDF

Newcomer of the Year 

Individual submissions, any format, three supporting pieces of work

For science writers who published their first ‘professional’ piece within the past three years (01 January 2023 – 31 December 2025). Entrants should be currently working in journalism, whether freelance or staff, full-time or part-time. The judges are looking for evidence of initiative and career progression, as well as quality journalism and depth of reporting.

Written work must be submitted by PDF

The Association of British Science Writers is registered in England and Wales under company number 07376343 at 76 Glebe Lane, Barming, Maidstone, Kent, ME16 9BD.
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