Awards

World North America's oldest known pterosaur, a flying reptile the size of a "small seagull," discovered, researchers say

Previous award recipient Anne Behrensmeyer has co-authored a Smithsonian-led PNAS paper detailing a new pterosaur fossil discovery at a remote bone bed in the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona, providing insight into the late Triassic period. Behrensmeyer recieved the 2019 G. K. Warren Prize for her contributions to understanding fluvial processes, how they are expressed in the rock record, and how they shape our understanding of ecological change throughout the history of life on land.

2026 Awards: Call for Nominations

Nominations are now being accepted for the NAS Awards to be presented in 2026. Awards will be presented in a variety of fields including artificial intelligence, the physics of the Earth, computer science, mathematics, psychological and cognitive sciences, and more.

The Awards Program recognizes outstanding contributions to science and encourages innovative research. Unless otherwise specified, preference will be given to early-career scientists and those whose work hasn’t been recognized by other large prizes or awards.

Nominations will be accepted online through Monday, October 6, 2025.

Awards Listing

Since 1886, the National Academy of Sciences has honored more than 1,000 individuals in the physical, biological, and social sciences through its awards program.