Last Chance to Nominate for Carob Prize

Bill Ackman and Roland Fryer will be awarding a total of up to $5 million to several courageous social scientists. Nominations close Sunday, Nov. 1 at 11:59 PM EST.

As I mentioned in September, Bill Ackman and Roland Fryer are starting an annual prize under the Carob Trust to give away up to $5 million to several social scientists who have demonstrated conspicuous academic courage in today’s political climate.

Nominations close on Sunday, November 1 at 11:59 Eastern Standard Time. (Due to the end of Daylight Savings Time tonight, you get one extra hour.)

You can submit nominations at:

https://thecarobtrustprize.smapply.us/prog/the_carob_trust_prize_for_academic_courage/

I’ll open up the comments to everybody: Who do you think deserves to win?

Here’s some information on the prize:

The Carob Trust Prize for Academic Courage

Overview:

The Carob Trust Prize honors academics who pursue bold ideas that challenge prevailing orthodoxies—whether political, intellectual, or methodological—and hold the potential to reshape knowledge, policy, or society. The Prize supports scholars whose work is original, rigorous, impactful, and courageous—even when it is unpopular.

Breakthroughs often begin as unpopular ideas. By honoring those who show independence, courage, and resilience, The Carob Trust Prize ensures that today’s controversial insights have the chance to become tomorrow’s common sense.

Selection Criteria:

The Prize is bestowed by an independent committee of leading scholars according to the following criteria:

• Intellectual Independence: A proven commitment to following logic and evidence wherever they lead, regardless of academic or political pressure.

• Non-Conformist Ideas: Originality and boldness of research agenda. Willingness to ask questions that others avoid—whether uncomfortable, underfunded, or unfashionable.

• Impact and Vindication: Work of excellent quality that has shifted academic debate, public discourse, or policy. Evidence that ideas criticized at the time have proven—through data, replication, or influence—to possess enduring value.

Process:

The Carob Trust Prize for Academic Courage will take a candidate’s life’s work into account. Scholars who are earlier in their careers might be considered for a smaller prize.

Nominations for the Prize can be submitted through the Nomination Portal, linked above. Nominators will be asked for short statements on candidates’ fitness as outlined by the selection criteria. Nominators may submit multiple candidates for consideration. Candidates may not nominate themselves.

The scope of the academic work considered for the inaugural 2027 Prize will be limited to the social sciences. The Committee will seek external experts as needed to properly evaluate submissions.

Only living candidates will be considered. Candidates must be citizens or legal residents of the United States.

Timeline:

• Nov. 1, 2026: Nominations due

• Spring 2027: Announcement of Prize winners

FAQs:

What kind of academic work must a candidate have produced to be considered for the Prize?
The scope of the academic work considered for the inaugural 2027 Prize will be limited to the social sciences, which are understood to include the fields of Anthropology, Economics, History, Political Science, Psychology, Public Health, Public Policy, and Sociology.

The candidate I wish to nominate works within the social sciences, but his/her work does not correspond to any of the fields listed above. Can I still nominate this candidate?
Yes—If a candidate works across multiple fields, please mark all relevant fields in the “subject area(s)” box in the nomination form. If a candidate works in a specific field within the social sciences that is not listed in the form, please mark the box labeled “Other” and write in the candidate’s field.

The candidate I wish to nominate exhibits exceptional academic courage but does not work within the social sciences. Can I still nominate this candidate?
No—the scope of the academic work considered for the inaugural 2027 Prize will be limited to the social sciences.

How long should my nomination statement be?
The nomination form itself provides word count limits. Please begin filling out the form in order to receive further instructions pertaining to the form’s completion.

How do I know if a candidate is a credible contender for the Prize?
Please refer to the Selection Criteria above. Ultimately, the Selection Committee will decide which candidates are strong contenders for the Prize.

Do I need to register an account to nominate a candidate?
Yes—all nominators must create an account to submit a nomination in the portal. To do so, select the “Register” link in the upper right-hand corner of the Prize nomination page. Follow the instructions provided and check your email for a login link to access your account. Once logged in, you may access the nomination form.

Why can’t I see the invitation link to register my account in my inbox?
1. Refresh your inbox. It may take a moment for the invitation link to arrive.
2. Check your spam folder. If the invitation link went to spam, mark prize@thecarobtrust.org as a “trusted sender” to ensure further communications will appear in your primary inbox.
3. Register your account with a personal (non-institutional) email address. Certain institutional inboxes automatically block emails from external senders—using a personal email is the easiest way to avoid such filters.

Do I need to register a new account for each candidate I nominate?
No—once you have registered an account, simply log in to your existing account and submit another nomination through the portal. Nominators may submit multiple candidates for consideration.

Can I nominate myself?
No—candidates may not nominate themselves (see above). There are no exceptions.

Can I send a nomination via email instead of submitting a nomination through the portal?
No—only nominations submitted through the portal are eligible for consideration for the Prize. Nominations received through any other channel will be void.

What if I’m experiencing technical issues with my account?
Technical issues are likely due to improper settings on your device. Ensure that you have strong Wi-Fi connection and that your browser allows pop-up windows and URL redirection. To further troubleshoot any issues you may be experiencing, click on the information menu “( i )” in the upper right-hand corner of the Prize nomination page. Select “Visit the Help Center” or “Contact Support” to receive assistance.

Contact:

Please read through the preceding sections carefully—your question may be answered above. For further inquiries, please contact prize@thecarobtrust.org.

Here’s part of the nomination form:

Nomination Statement

Please answer the following questions.

Intellectual Independence:

How has the candidate demonstrated a commitment to following evidence wherever it leads, regardless of prevailing consensus or ideological pressure? (500 words or less)

Non-Conformist Ideas:

What bold or unconventional ideas has the candidate pursued? Why are these ideas important? (500 words or less)

This value must be between 1 and 500 words. Current: 0

Impact and Vindication:

In what ways has the candidate’s work influenced scholarship, policy, or public discourse? Has evidence emerged showing that ideas once criticized have enduring value? (500 words or less)

Additional Information:

(optional)

Use this space to share any other relevant information about the candidate that the previous questions did not capture. (500 words or less)

Publication Attachments

Submit at least one and up to three papers, articles, or other published works that best illustrate the candidate’s contribution to his or her field. Please upload the published version where one exists.

Who is your choice? For once, comments are open to everybody.