IFA Science Awards Nomination

2025 IFA Science Awards

The International Fertilization Association (IFA) is inviting individual scientists to apply for two awards that recognize excellence in plant nutrition science, innovation and extension for sustainable development.

The two award categories are:

The IFA Norman Borlaug Plant Nutrition Award,which recognizes a large portfolio of research achievements, demonstrating that the individual candidate has made significant contributions to knowledge as well as concrete solutions. The recipient of the IFA Norman Borlaug Plant Nutrition Award will receive €10,000 and will be invited to become a member of the Scientific Panel for Responsible Plant Nutrition Scientific Panel for Responsible Plant Nutrition.
The IFA Emerging Scholar Award, which recognizes early-career researchers for innovative science that may make significant contributions in the future. The recipient of the IFA Emerging Scholar Award will receive €5,000.

Nominations will be evaluated in the context of the “New Paradigm for Responsible Plant Nutrition” as developed by the Scientific Panel on Responsible Plant Nutrition

The application deadline is September 30, 2025.

Eligibility

The two awards are offered to individuals (not to teams, organizations or companies) for their research efforts. Women scientists are particularly encouraged to apply.

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IFA Norman Borlaug Plant Nutrition Award

This award recognizes a large portfolio of research achievements, demonstrating that the candidate has made significant contributions to knowledge as well as concrete solutions that are essential for achieving the new paradigm for responsible plant nutrition. This may include significant discoveries made in fundamental research, inventions, or novel applied research that could lead to practical solutions. The likely winner of the award will have completed his/her PhD more than 10 years ago and have a strong record of publication and professional activity that has demonstrated their work to be relevant, significant and with impact. Eligibility is restricted to researchers who are still active in science, i.e. retired scientists are not eligible.

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IFA Emerging Scholar Award

This award recognizes a portfolio of research that suggests the candidate will make significant contributions to knowledge essential for achieving the new paradigm for responsible plant nutrition. This may include significant discoveries made in fundamental research, inventions, or novel applied research that could lead to practical solutions. The likely winner of the award will have completed his/her PhD no more than 5 years ago and have a record of publications and professional activity that has demonstrated their work to be significant and with impact potential. Graduate students near the end of their PhD may also apply, provided that they meet the stated criteria.

Multi racial diverse group of people working with Paperwork on a board room table at a business presentation or seminar

2025 Winners

The award winners will be announced at the IFA Strategic Forum in November 2025.

Nomination Procedure and Selection

Applications must be submitted to IFA by 30 September 2025.

Nomination Procedure

Applications must be submitted in English and in electronic format by e-mail to science@fertilizer.org using the application form found here.

Qualified individuals can be nominated by public or private sector organizations or well-respected scientists engaged in plant nutrition research and its practical applications. Applications must be submitted to IFA by 30 September 2025.

Only complete applications following the required format will be considered by the IFA Secretariat. The duly completed application form should not exceed a total number of 2,000 words for the qualification statements. Applicants must provide an abstract or URL link of the selected papers listed in their application form.

Additional documents and nomination letters from other organizations, lists of publications and any other material will not be considered by the selection panel.

Only complete entries following the conditions set above will be accepted.

Selection

Members of the Scientific Panel for Responsible Plant Nutrition will evaluate and select the award winners on the basis of:

Relevance to the New Paradigm for Plant Nutrition and its economic, environmental and societal outcomes;
Novelty and quality of science;
Innovation;
Potential and/or actual impact.

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For questions about the nomination procedure, please contact science@fertilizer.org

IFA Norman Borlaug Plant Nutrition Award Winner: Dr. Deli Chen

Distinguished Professor Deli Chen, from the University of Melbourne, presenting his research on managing reactive nitrogen for sustainable food production and environment for which he received the prestigious IFA Norman Borlaug Plant Nutrition Award.

2024 IFA Emerging Scholar Award Joint Winner: Dr. Hari Sankar Nayak

Dr. Hari Sankar Nayak, has received the IFA Emerging Scholar Award for the contributions he has made to better the understanding of the dynamics of the nitrogen industry and how to adapt towards greater use efficiency.

2024 IFA Emerging Scholar Award Joint Winner: Dr. Tan Zou

Dr Tan Zou, recipient of the IFA Emerging Scholars Award, shares the groundbreaking work she has done in creating a global phosphorus budget database along with a list of key indicators for food security, sustainability, and pollution metrics.