Every year since 1954 the CNRS rewards the women and men who have contributed most significantly to raising the organisation's profile and advancing French research and innovation.
The CNRS awards several distinctions:
- Gold medal: recognise the whole body of work of a scientist who has made an exceptional contribution to extending the influence of French research. This award is one of the highest honours in science.
- Silver medal: honors researchers for the originality, quality and importance of a body of work that is recognised nationally and internationally.
- Bronze medal: rewards researchers in the early stages of their career whose work has established them as specialists in their field.
- Crystal medal: recognises research support staff working alongside researchers whose creativity, technical mastery and sense of innovation has contributed to expanding knowledge and to excellence in French research.
- Collective crystal award: honors teams of research support staff who have carried out projects with outstanding technical mastery, a collective dimension, applications, innovation and influence.
- Scientific mediation medal: recognises scientists and research support staff for their actions which highlight the value of science to society and help disseminate scientific information and knowledge beyond the walls of their laboratories.
- Innovation medal: created in 2011, this medal honors those women and men whose exceptional research has led to a significant technological, therapeutic or social innovation that raises the profile of French scientific research.
ENS de Lyon 2024 recipients
- François LEULIER, CNRS Research Director and Director of the Institute of Functional Genomics of Lyon, microbiota biologist - gold medal
- Lucie ÉTIENNE, CNRS Research Director at CIRI, infectiologist - bronze medal