Since 2022, the Collège de France Award for Young Researchers has recognised a young scientist for the excellence of their career and the innovative nature of their contributions to public research.
The Collège de France Award consists of a cash award of 20,000 euros and the opportunity to present their research to the Collège de France audience.
In keeping with the multidisciplinary spirit of the Collège de France, this award is awarded alternately each year to a laureate in the fields of mathematical, computer, experimental and natural sciences, or in the arts, humanities and social sciences. Candidates must have defended their thesis within the last seven years and be employed at a public research laboratory in France.
In 2026, the Collège de France Award was awarded to Christophe Botella , a researcher in statistical ecology, on the theme ‘Mathematical Sciences for the Planet’ (Mathematics and Computer Science).
The 2026 jury comprised Nalini Anantharaman (co-chair, Collège de France); Xavier Leroy (co-chair, Collège de France); Edouard Bard (Collège de France); Laure Saint-Raymond (Collège de France); and Nigel Gilles Yoccoz (Arctic University of Norway).
