Each year The New Phytologist Foundation will award prizes to the best primary research papers published in New Phytologist by early career authors. Prizes will be awarded across each section of the journal including Physiology & Development, Environment, Interaction, Evolution, and Transformative Plant Biotechnology.
The winners will receive a monetary prize of £500 (GBP) and an invitation to join a New Phytologist next generation scientists symposium as a delegate.
Procedure and rules
This award is for primary research papers only (i.e. Full papers, Methods, Priority reports, Community resources and Letters).
During submission of a manuscript, authors are asked to check the following box on ScholarOne Manuscripts:
‘If you, or one of your co-authors, are an early career researcher and would like to be considered for a New Phytologist best paper prize please check this box. Eligible authors will be a first and/or corresponding author and be within five years of receiving their PhD at the point of submission.’
For the purposes of this award, the date refers to the initial submission of your manuscript, not the revised version that was finally accepted.
Eligibility is determined from the date that your PhD was passed / confirmed / gained, which may be the date of a successful thesis defence, or the date that final corrections are accepted by your institution. This is not the date when your PhD may have been officially presented / awarded / conferred in a graduation ceremony, as in many cases this could be significantly after the PhD was completed.
The number of years' experience excludes career breaks and should be calculated back from the date of submission. (i.e. If you submitted your paper on 1 January 2025 you would be eligible if you passed your PhD on or after 1 January 2020.)
We define career breaks as official periods of time off from employment, either for family reasons or for personal or professional development, where you were not actively engaged in scientific research. We recognise that the COVID-19 pandemic was difficult for many; if you feel that your research was impacted more than others in a major way (e.g., your department was closed for six months and you were not able to collect data or you were between jobs and not able to take up your new position) then this sort of career break can be considered.In the year following publication of your paper we will email all authors who have indicated that they would like to be considered, with further details of the prize, the process and the next steps.
Authors will be asked, a) if they still wish to be considered, and b) to elaborate on aspects of the paper regarding its significance and their participation (and leadership) in the study and writing of the manuscript. Authors should be prepared to provide the following:Article ID number, Title, Author list, DOI.
Were they first or corresponding author, or both?
When they passed / confirmed / gained their PhD.
Details of any career breaks (including dates and reason).
A short paragraph highlighting the significance of their paper and its contribution to New Phytologist (150 words max).
Describe their contribution to the research published in this paper (150 words max). For example, whether they led the field work, were involved in the conceptual design, and/or writing of the paper. Please also indicate what level the author was during the preparation of the study (e.g., PhD student, post-doctoral researcher).
The above information should be returned by the date specified within the email, which will usually be a timeframe of six weeks.
Completed applications and papers will be divided into journal sections and considered by editors with relevant expertise.
Winners will be announced later in 2026.