Oran R. Young Prize 2026
Oran R. Young has inspired and supported countless young scholars – many of them now leading researchers and teachers in the field themselves. The Oran R. Young Prize is awarded in recognition of his invaluable contribution to advancing the frontiers of research on the institutional dimensions of global environmental change and earth system governance, and equally to honour his enthusiasm and dedication in teaching, mentoring and supporting early-career researchers.
The Oran R. Young Prize is awarded to the best paper by an early career scholar presented at the annual Earth System Governance Conference.
The Prize Committee is chaired by Katharine Rietig (Newcastle University). The committee selects the winning paper based on academic quality and novelty as well as relevance to the Earth System Governance Research Framework.
Previous awardees
Consult the list of all previous awardees since the prize’s inception in 2013.
Eligibility criteria
- The paper must be accepted for presentation at the 2026 Bath Earth System Governance conference.
- The paper must be submitted in its final or very advanced (review ready) version before the deadline.
- The paper must be led by an early-career researcher serving as the first or sole author, whereby early-career is defined as Master student, PhD-student or researcher who has received their PhD within 5 years prior to the deadline.
- Manuscripts that have been subjected to peer review for publication in an academic journal are not eligible for the Oran R. Young Prize. However, manuscripts that have not undergone peer review but have been disseminated as working papers, preprints, or other informal formats, are eligible.
Submission and deadline
To submit your paper for consideration of the prize committee, consult the eligibility criteria above and send the full paper to ipo@earthsystemgovernance.org no later than 15 July 2026.
Questions?
Contact us at ipo@earthsystemgovernance.org
