Research - EU Descartes Prize for = excellence in science communication


Home =	News <= /TD>	Publi= cations	Press	FAQ	How=20 to=20 submit


Aims and Objectives of the = Descartes=20 Prizes The Descartes Prizes are among = the=20 activities supported under the European = Commission's Sixth=20 Framework Programme, within the Research Directorate = Science and=20 Society.

=

The 2006 Descartes prize for = science=20 communication = (=E2=82=AC275 000)

The Descartes= =20 Prize for Research, which exists since 2000, was = complemented=20 with a new Descartes Prize for Science Communication in = 2004. By=20 means of this new prize, the European Commission = intends:

=C2=B7 To stimulate interest and careers = in science=20 communication.

=C2=B7 To improve the quality of science = communication=20 with the public.

A maximum of five laureates share a 250 = 000 euros=20 award and five finalists receive 5 000 euros each. For = the two=20 first editions in 2004 and 2005, ten laureates and five = finalists=20 from 8 different European and non-European countries have = been=20 awarded the Science Communication Prize.

The Commission has established a = continuous dialogue=20 and partnership with prize-giving organisations (hereinafter = referred to as =E2=80=9Cprize organisers=E2=80=9D), = particularly as regards the=20 submission to the call for proposals.

A joint call for proposals for both Descartes = Prizes was=20 published on 17 December 2005, with a closing date on 4 May=20 2006.

In its Science Communication part, it = targets=20 organisations or individuals having achieved outstanding = results in=20 science communication and having been selected as winners by = European and/or national organisations which carry out = existing=20 science communication prizes of any kind. This implies that = prize=20 organisers can send their winners as candidates to the EU = prize, in=20 one of the following categories:

- Professional scientists engaged in = science=20 communication to the public;

- Popularising science through the written = word=20 (e.g. newspaper articles, popular science books);

- Popularising science through = audio-visual and=20 electronic media (e.g. scientific television or radio = documentaries,=20 websites);

- Innovative action for science = communication;

- Editorial policy for the promotion of = science=20 whatever the media.

In order to send a candidature, we advise = you to=20 first read the document called "guide=20 for proposers" which contains all the necessary = information and=20 instructions on how to submit. Please note that submission = to the=20 science communication prize can only be made on paper by = filling in=20 the adequate forms that are in the =E2=80=9Cguide for = proposers=E2=80=9D. Prize=20 organisers may submit only one candidature (prize winner) = per=20 proposal.

A copy or original of the relevant prize = certificate=20 will have to be attached to each of the candidatures, in = order to=20 prove that they have been already rewarded in the=20 national/international competition organised by the = proposer. Please=20 note that if the prize certificate is missing, the = candidature will=20 not be evaluated at all.

The monetary prize will go directly to the = candidate(s) who are selected as winners by the expert = evaluators.=20 In the case of diverse actors involved in the communication = product=20 (e.g. a producer, a director, etc.) the money will be = transferred to=20 the same actor that was previously awarded a prize by the = prize=20 organiser.

The Laureates and Finalists of the prize = will be=20 invited to participate in the award ceremony to testify = about their=20 works.

The evaluation

1. Firstly, applications will be assessed = by=20 adequate panels of independent experts according to the = following=20 evaluation criteria:

- Excellence and quality of the proposal =

- Relevance and impact

- European added value

2. The presidents of those expert panels = will then=20 meet at the end of the evaluation session in order to decide = on the=20 laureates and finalists among those proposals having passed = the=20 required overall threshold. It is possible that two or more = prizes=20 are awarded within the same category.

For further information please visit the = following=20 CORDIS page: http://f= p6.cordis.lu/fp6/call_details.cfm?CALL_ID=3D191

Descartes=20 Prizes: 2005=20 2004