The Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise

The Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise supports immigrant professionals who have demonstrated exceptional early career achievements.

  • Nine $50,000 cash awards;
  • Young immigrant research scientists and culinary professionals are welcome to apply.

In 2027, prizes will be awarded in Biomedical Science and in two categories in Culinary Arts: Food & Beverage and Media & Storytelling. Applications are open through May 4, 2026.

Selection Process

An open call for applications is announced annually. Three prizewinners are selected in each category through an application process juried by panels of experts in each field.

Biomedical Science

  • Three prizes of $50,000 in Biomedical Science;
  • Immigrant research scientists whose work exemplifies outstanding scientific accomplishment and represents significant early-career contribution to their area of research.
Learn more about science prizes
Berna Sozen seated and smiling at a lab bench in her Yale Medical School lab.

Culinary Arts: Food & Beverage and Media & Storytelling

  • Three prizes of $50,000 in Food & Beverage and three prizes of $50,000 in Media & Storytelling;
  • Immigrant creators, entrepreneurs, and thinkers in the culinary arts who exhibit high-caliber achievements and strong early-career commitment to the field.
Learn about the arts prizes
A smiling chef in a black apron and head covering carefully garnishes a small bowl of greens in a bright, modern kitchen.

Creative Promise Prize Recipients

Takashi Akera

Takashi Akera receives the Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise in Biomedical Science for his creative approach to investigating selfish DNA, an anomaly resulting in biased inheritance of genes that can lead to fertility issues and genetic disorders.
A portrait of Takashi Akera.

Aashish Manglik

Aashish Manglik receives the 2026 Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise in Biomedical Science for uncovering the conformational complexity of G protein–coupled receptors, fundamentally reshaping scientists’ understanding of cellular signaling.
A portrait of Aashish Manglik.

Berna Sozen

Berna Sozen receives the 2026 Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise in Biomedical Science for pioneering innovative experimental models to advance understanding of human development and for championing inclusive research environments.
A portrait of Berna Sozen.

Diego Bendezu

Diego Bendezu is awarded the 2026 Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise in Fashion & Culture for his powerful visual storytelling that centers Latin American voices and his work to reshape how the industry sees beauty and cultural authenticity.
A portrait of Diego Bendezu.

Jalan and Jibril Durimel

The Durimels receive the 2026 Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise in Fashion & Culture in recognition of their ability to present fashion as part of a broader, evocative exploration of fictitious storytelling, color, and light.
A portrait of Jalan and Jibril Durimel.

Natalie Nudell

Natalie Nudell is awarded the 2026 Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise in Fashion & Culture for her writing, research, and database development that preserves the holistic history of fashion in the United States.
A portrait of Natalie Nudell.

Jacques Agbobly

Jacques Agbobly is awarded the 2026 Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise in Fashion & Design for centering Afropolitan identity, Black multiplicity, and diasporic memory.
A portrait of Jacques Agbobly.

Marcelo Gutierrez

Marcelo Gutierrez receives the 2026 Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise in Fashion & Design in recognition of his makeup artistry that challenges and reimagines conventional beauty standards.
A portrait of Marcelo Gutierrez.

Uyen Tran

Uyen Tran wins the 2026 Vilcek Prize in Creative Promise in Fashion & Design for her determination and leadership to develop environmentally friendly products that support the health of people and the planet without sacrificing quality.
A portrait of Uyen Tran.