Artem Oganov, Chairman of the VYZOV Prize Scientific Committee
The VYZOV Prize has expanded its international footprint in 2025, drawing applications from researchers across 40 countries and reinforcing its evolution from a national award into a global scientific honour.The prize, which recognises high-technology research with potential for practical application within the next decade, received 632 applications this year. The international “Discovery” category recorded the highest number of submissions, reflecting growing participation from outside Russia. Applications came from countries including the United States, China, India, Brazil, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Turkey and Iran, as well as Indonesia, Egypt, Pakistan, Kazakhstan and Venezuela.”The VYZOV Prize is an important step towards international scientific unity. I would like to note the increase not only in the quantity but also in the quality of applications this year, particularly in the international category. Indian science and technology have a great history and a great future – we got quite a few applications from Mumbai and Delhi this year, and I’m looking forward to receiving many strong submissions from India next year,” said Artem Oganov, Chairman of the VYZOV Prize Scientific Committee. The VYZOV Prize features five categories covering a wide range of scientific fields. In the Engineering Solution category, Mikhail Skupov was recognised for developing industrial production of nitride nuclear fuel. The Breakthrough award went to Ilya Yampolsky for research into the molecular mechanics of bioluminescence, leading to the development of glowing plants with biomedical applications.The Scientist of the Year award was given to Stepan Kalmykov for advances in radiochemistry aimed at safer radioactive waste management. Vera Vil received the Future Prize for developing environmentally friendly chemical synthesis methods, while the International Discovery award went to Valery Fokin of the United States for pioneering click chemistry, a technique used in diagnostics and cancer research.Each laureate will receive a prize of $150,000.Organisers said the growing international participation highlights the role of cross-border cooperation in advancing scientific research. Applications for the next edition of the VYZOV Prize are scheduled to open in February 2026.
