Best PhD Thesis Award

Launched in 2025, the Optics Best PhD Thesis Award is to recognize young scholars for producing outstanding PhD theses in the field of optics, and to encourage the continuation of their outstanding work and further contribution to their field. The application process for this award is open from November to May every year and winners are announced in July.

The Prize:
– CHF 500;
– A certificate

Number of Winners: 1

Optics Best PhD Thesis Award

Application deadline: 31 May 2026Winner announcement date: 31 July 2026

Apply

Eligibility and Requirements

– The candidate must be a PhD student or a recently qualified PhD who has produced an outstanding PhD thesis;
– The PhD thesis must be their original work;
– The PhD thesis must be defended in 2025.

Required Application Documents

– An executive summary of the PhD thesis in English of around 3000 words;
– A letter from the PhD supervisor recommending the candidate for consideration for this award;
– The candidate’s CV, including a list of publications connected with the thesis;
– An electronic copy of the PhD thesis;
– A scanned copy of the PhD diploma (or certificate of studying at a school or research institute as a PhD student going to graduate or participate in graduation thesis defenses).