Ig Nobels Move Awards Ceremony to Europe Over US Travel Visa Concerns

Annual satirical awards show shifts from US to Zurich, Switzerland due to immigration policy issues.

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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The annual Ig Nobel Prize ceremony, which honors unusual and humorous scientific achievements, is moving from the United States to Europe for the first time in its 36-year history. Organizers cited concerns about international attendees obtaining US travel visas as the reason for the shift, with this year's ceremony taking place in Zurich, Switzerland. The move comes amid the Trump administration's crackdown on immigration and tightening of visa policies.

Why it matters

The Ig Nobels have traditionally been held in the US, where the awards were founded. The decision to move the ceremony to Europe highlights the challenges that some international scientists and researchers may face in traveling to the US due to the country's evolving immigration policies under the Trump administration. This could impact the ability of the Ig Nobels to maintain its global reach and diverse participation.

The details

The 36th annual Ig Nobel Prize ceremony will be held in Zurich, Switzerland, in collaboration with institutions of the ETH Domain and the University of Zurich. In previous years, the ceremony has taken place at universities in Boston. Organizer Marc Abrahams cited concerns that it would be "unsafe" for international guests to travel to the US this year due to visa issues. Four of last year's 10 Ig Nobel winners chose not to attend the Boston ceremony.

  • The 36th annual Ig Nobel Prize ceremony will be held in 2026.
  • The ceremony is usually held in September, a few weeks before the actual Nobel Prizes are announced.

The players

Marc Abrahams

Master of ceremonies and editor of the Annals of Improbable Research, the digital magazine that organizes the Ig Nobel Prizes.

Milo Puhan

Epidemiologist at the University of Zurich and a Swiss Ig Nobel Prize winner in 2017.

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What they’re saying

“During the past year, it has become unsafe for our guests to visit the country. We cannot in good conscience ask the new winners, or the international journalists who cover the event, to travel to the USA this year.”

— Marc Abrahams, Master of ceremonies and editor of the Annals of Improbable Research (The Associated Press)

“The Ig Nobel Prize makes research visible, and does so with a wink.”

— Milo Puhan, Epidemiologist at the University of Zurich (The Associated Press)

What’s next

The Ig Nobel Prize ceremony will be held in Zurich, Switzerland in 2026 and will alternate between Zurich and other European cities in subsequent years. There are no immediate plans to return the ceremony to the United States.

The takeaway

The decision to move the Ig Nobel Prize ceremony from the US to Europe highlights the challenges that some international scientists and researchers may face in traveling to the US due to the country's evolving immigration policies. This shift could impact the global reach and diverse participation in the awards, which celebrate unusual and humorous scientific achievements.