Royal Academy for Overseas Sciences - Jean-Jacques and Berthe Symoens Prize for Tropical Limnology

What you get

You will receive a one-off cash prize of 2,500 EUR for outstanding research in the field of tropical limnology, that is, the study of inland water bodies such as lakes, rivers and wetlands in tropical regions. The prize is awarded for a single piece of work and is not shared amongst the candidates. The winner also bears the official title of prize-winner. Should the prize-winning work not yet have been published, the Academy may publish it. The prize money and the title are provided by a Brussels-based academy, which funds this prize from its own endowment. It is awarded every three years. Following the 2023 round, the next is expected to take place in the year 2026.

Who can apply

• Your work: You submit a substantial research text (a memoir) of high scientific quality on a topic linked to tropical limnology.
• Field: Your research focuses on tropical inland waters, their biology, chemistry or ecology.
• Publication status: Your work is unpublished or was published less than four years ago.
• Language: You write in English, French, Dutch or Spanish.
• Nationality: Applicants of any nationality are welcome to apply. If you come from a developing or emerging country, you may submit fewer printed copies.
• One exclusion: Members of the academy awarding the prize are excluded from taking part.

How to apply

Please send your work, together with an abstract of no more than 1,200 words, a CV and a covering letter, to the Academy’s secretariat in Brussels. Your submission must be received by 1 February of the year in which the prize is awarded, i.e. by 1 February 2026 for the next cycle. A panel of expert judges will assess the submissions. The Natural Sciences Section will then select the winner in May.

How realistic are your chances?

This prize is very selective. It is awarded every three years to recognise outstanding research in the field of tropical limnology, meaning that the pool of serious contenders is small. If your research clearly falls within this specialist field and meets the quality criteria, you have a genuine chance of winning. Please note that no prize will be awarded if no submission achieves an absolute majority; consequently, only truly outstanding work will be recognised.