The international Women in GIS organisation has announced that applications are open for its 2026 awards and scholarships program.
Three awards will be made and six scholarships are up for grabs, with applications being open to women from any country who work in the geospatial sector.
Women in GIS (WiGIS) says that underrepresented women are especially encouraged to apply.
There are three award categories:
- Distinguished Contribution Award, which “recognises a woman who has made significant and long-term contributions using GIS/geospatial technology in the development/and growth of the various disciplines where this technology has been applied”.
- Young Professional Award, which “recognises the outstanding achievement of an early-career woman in the GIS/Geospatial field”. Applicants should have no more than five years of experience working in a GIS-related discipline.
- WiGIS Service Award, which recognises the contributions of a former volunteer, committee member or board member of WiGIS.
Each award winner will receive an e-certificate/e-plaque plus a cash prize for printing and framing it at their discretion. They’ll also receive a one-year ArcGIS license for personal use, plus StoryMaps.
Two scholarships are available in each of three categories:
- Undergraduate: US$500
- Graduate: US$1,000
- Grants for Practitioners and Academics: US$2,000
Full details of the scholarships, plus application instructions both the awards and the scholarships are available on the WiGIS website.
Applications close on 27 February 2026 (11:59pm US Pacific Time), with the recipients to be advised and announced by the end of May 2026.
