处于创新思维活跃期的青年人才是国家科技发展的希望，通过科技领域最高价值体现的国家科技奖对他们进行有效激励，充分调动他们的积极性和创造性，是社会公众和科技管理部门普遍关心的问题。本研究基于对2009-2013年获国家科技奖项目完成人年龄结构的分析，从获奖者群体与我国科技人力资源总体年龄结构差异、成果的检验期、及成果奖的缺陷等三个方面，探讨了现有国家科技奖项难以有效激励青年人才的原因，并结合获诺贝尔奖及获自然科学奖项目第一完成人最佳成果产出年龄分布的对比，就增设国家级青年科技奖项的重要性和必要性展开讨论。

National awards are of the highest value in S&T field in China, and the honor and position of youth S&T talents in national award system attract great concern from both the public and the S&T management authorities. Based on the study of age distribution of awardees in 2009-2013 and through an in-depth comparison of Nobel Prize recipients, we found that although the overall proportion of youth talents in national S&T awardees are reasonable, there is still lack of special concern on them and thus the current national award system fails to be the ideal incentive structure. Consequently, the importance and necessity of a national award for youth S&T talents is needed and should be taken into consideration.