For the sixth time, Wrocław University of Science and Technology will present the European Stanisław Lem Prize (Lem Prize). It will be awarded to a young researcher for a discovery that could have a positive impact on the future of our civilisation. The prize is worth PLN 100,000, and applications are open until 30 September.

The European Stanisław Lem Prize was established in 2021 to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of the eminent Polish science-fiction writer, who received an honorary doctorate from Wrocław University of Science and Technology in 1981.

The prize is awarded for a recent discovery or significant achievement in the broadly defined fields of science and engineering. Particular consideration is given to its originality, interdisciplinary nature, use of technology and potential impact on the development of civilisation.

Results in November

The winner of the 2026 Lem Prize will be selected by an international jury chaired by Professor Maciej Lewenstein of ICFO, the Institute of Photonic Sciences in Barcelona. The results of this year’s competition will be announced on 16 November during Wrocław Tech Day celebrations.

The winner will receive PLN 100,000 and a statuette. The following year, they will also be invited to Wrocław University of Science and Technology to deliver an open lecture and meet the university’s early-career researchers and students.

Five laureates

The first Lem Prize was awarded in 2021 to Professor Randall J. Platt of ETH Zurich, an expert in genetic engineering. A year later, the prize went to Professor Samuel Stranks of the University of Cambridge, a specialist in optoelectronics.

In 2023, the winner was Professor Ido Kaminer, an experimental physicist from the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. The 2024 prize was awarded to Dr Tobias Dornheim, a theoretical physicist from the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf.

In 2025, the jury honoured Professor Li Tang of Switzerland’s École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne. He was recognised for groundbreaking discoveries concerning the role of the immune system in fighting cancer.

Who can apply?

The competition is open to researchers born on or after 1 January 1986. They must be affiliated with a university or research institution based in the European Union, a country associated with the Horizon Europe programme, or Switzerland.

Discoveries and achievements made between 1 January 2023 and the date of application will be considered. Candidates may apply themselves or be nominated by another person. Researchers who have been affiliated with Wrocław University of Science and Technology at any time during the past three years are not eligible.

Applications open until 30 September

All documents must be prepared in English. The application should include:

• the application form available on the competition website,

• up to three publications supporting the discovery or achievement, including articles, books, patents or patent applications,

• two or three letters of recommendation.

An academic CV may also be included.

The complete set of documents must be sent by 30 September to lemprize@pwr.edu.pl. The application form, competition rules and detailed submission guidelines are available on the Lem Prize website.