Submitted by Catherine Atkins on Thu, 16/07/2026 - 16:53
We are thrilled to share that Dr Bridget Bannerman, ACED Programme Manager, has been named as one of nine recipients of a Schlumberger Foundation 2026 Faculty for the Future impact prize, a merit-based award that recognises Fellows who are translating their scientific and engineering expertise into initiatives with demonstrated potential for wider impact.
For more than two decades, the Schlumberger Foundation’s Faculty for the Future program has supported women scientists and engineers from emerging and developing economies in pursuing advanced STEM research and developing their leadership.
Today, their achievements demonstrate that the program’s influence extends far beyond individual academic journeys. Across countries, disciplines and generations, Faculty for the Future Fellows are turning advanced scientific and engineering expertise into breakthrough solutions that open new pathways, strengthen communities and generate wider change across people and systems.
The Faculty for the Future Impact Prize recognises proven initiatives and accelerates their next stage of development. Through funding, visibility and connection to the wider fellowship, the scientific and business community it helps recipients extend their reach and deepen their impact.
The 2026 Impact Prize recognises outstanding initiatives in three areas:
- Educational Outreach
- Technology Innovation
- Social Impact
“Faculty for the Future began by investing in the education and potential of exceptional women scientists and engineers. What we now see is how that investment continues to multiply as Fellows open pathways for others, build institutions and apply their expertise to urgent challenges in their communities. The Impact Prize allows us to recognize this leadership, connect it across the fellowship and help it travel further,” said Capella Festa, President of the Schlumberger Foundation.
Bridget's award is in recognition of her work "Empowering African Women to Eliminate Cervical Cancer". Selected from 156 applications from 61 countries, the nine winning initiatives reveal the breadth of what Faculty for the Future Fellows are building through science and engineering. They create pathways into STEM, strengthen access to research and healthcare, and develop practical responses to challenges in water, agriculture and climate resilience.
The Impact Prize marks a new chapter for Faculty for the Future. Building on more than two decades of support for advanced STEM education, it strengthens a global fellowship in which the scientific and engineering leadership of Fellows is recognised, connected and amplified.
We offer Bridget our warmest congratulations on this excellent achievement!