Call for Nominations: SCB 2026 Group Service Awards

SCB is thrilled to announce the call for nominations for its 2026 Group Service Awards program, which honors individuals and institutions for outstanding contributions to biodiversity conservation.

Hosted by the Society’s Regions, Working Groups, and Marine Global Program, SCB Group Awards recognize individuals, groups, and institutions for distinguished service in any field associated with conservation biology, and whose work furthers SCB’s mission to advance the science and practice of conserving biodiversity.
 
Nomination submissions for 6 SCB Group Awards are currently open through 30 March. Nominations for the Africa Region's award are open through 15 May, and nominations for the LACA Region's award are open through 30 June. While SCB membership is not mandatory for nominees, it is encouraged and valued.
 
Please see below for more information about each participating SCB Group and their respective award, as well as their nomination form.
 
Nominees should be members of the Group that is presenting the award for which they’ve been nominated, or be conducting conservation work in the Group’s region/topic of interest.

2026 SCB Group Service Awards

The Early Career Conservationist Award honors achievements in conservation by professionals early in their careers (no more than 10 years since leaving school). SCB does not apply an age criteria in order to enable eligibility for individuals who might have come to conservation as a second career. Individuals and organizations are eligible to be nominated for this award. Self-nominations are permitted.

  • The Social Science Working Group’s Early Career Conservationist Award will be presented at the Conservation Social Science Conference, taking place on October 21st-22nd, 2026.
  • The Latin America and Caribbean Region’s Early Career Conservationist Award will be presented at the Latin America and Caribbean Congress for Conservation Biology, taking place in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil from 3 - 7 November. The call for nominations for this award will remain open until 30 June.

The Europe Region’s Early Career Conservationist Award honors achievements in conservation by professionals early in their careers. Candidates must be early career conservation professionals, defined as within 6 years of the highest achieved full-time education (whether this be school, undergraduate or postgraduate) attained prior to working as a conservation professional. Nominees must have been based in Europe during (part of) their career OR must have included European conservation in their work. SCB does not apply an age criteria in order to enable eligibility for individuals who might have come to conservation as a second career. Individuals and organizations are eligible to be nominated for this award. We particularly encourage nominations for conservation scientists and practitioners from underrepresented groups. Your application must be submitted in English, but the quality of your English will not affect your application. Applications can be made through self-nomination or someone else can nominate you. This award will be presented at the European Congress of Conservation Biology, taking place in Leiden, the Netherlands from 6 - 10 July 2026. The award includes a free registration fee to enable the awardee to attend ECCB and they will be encouraged to attend to receive their award.
 
The Distinguished Service Award recognizes individuals, groups, or institutions for distinguished service in any field associated with conservation biology, and whose work has furthered the mission of SCB. Individuals and organizations are eligible to be nominated for this award. Self-nominations are permitted.

The Global Marine Program’s Distinguished Service Award in Marine Conservation recognizes individuals, groups, or institutions for distinguished service in any field associated with marine conservation biology, and whose work has furthered the mission of SCB. Individuals and organizations are eligible to be nominated for this award. Self-nominations are permitted. The award will be presented at the 8th International Marine Conservation Congress, taking place in Edinburgh, Scotland from 13-17 November 2026.
 
The North America Region’s Edward T. LaRoe III Memorial Award is given to an individual who has been a leader in translating principles of conservation biology into real-world conservation. Preference is given to employees of government agencies or individuals who have spent at least part of their career in public service. The intention of the award is to recognize the innovative application of science to resource management and policy. Individuals and organizations are eligible to be nominated for this award. Self-nominations are permitted. This award will be presented at the North American Congress for Conservation and Restoration, taking place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA from 12 - 16 July.
 
The Africa Region’s Young Women in Conservation Biology Award recognizes the achievements of young women in Africa who advance the discipline of conservation biology on the continent. Self-nominations are not permitted. This award will be presented at the Africa Congress for Conservation Biology, taking place in Lagos, Nigeria from 31 August - 4 September. The Africa Region uses its own nomination form. Please complete this form instead of proceeding to the awards platform. The deadline for this award is 15 May.

How to Apply

All nominations require a letter of recommendation. To apply, complete the nomination form.
 
Questions? All participating Groups form independent awards committees to evaluate nominations and answer questions you may have about their award. Committee leads are listed on the SCB Group Awards website. If you have a general question about SCB awards, please email awards@conbio.org.

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