Women scientists in developing countries often experience isolation, lack of role models and visibility. For the past ten years, the Elsevier Foundation has collaborated with the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD)  to address these issues through an awards and recognition program for talented early career women scientists from Africa, the Arab region, Asia and the Pacific region, and Latin America and the Caribbean.

Each winner receives a cash prize of USD 5,000 and is sponsored to attend the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), held each year in February. The winners are presented with their awards at a special AAAS networking ceremony, and have the opportunity to attend workshops and sessions, meet experts in their fields, visit local laboratories and institutions, and attend a celebratory networking dinner organized by the Elsevier Foundation.

In 2021, the awards were re-focused to align more closely with the United Nations SDGs. The awards’ annual focus was shifted from specific scientific disciplines to broader SDG topics and research areas. The 2022-2026 awards cycle is focused on: 2022: Climate action and the environment (SDG13, 14, 15) 2023: Food Security, agricultural productivity and sustainable food production (SDG2), 2024: Water, sanitation and hygiene (SDG6), 2025: Inclusive Health (SDG3), 2026: Sustainable, affordable and reliable energy (SDG7).