A new prize from AAAS recognizes one of the most important things a scientist can do:

AAAS Early Career Award for Public Engagement with Science
Nomination Deadline: 15 October

The Award

The AAAS Early Career Award for Public Engagement with Science, established in 2010, recognizes early-career scientists and engineers who demonstrate excellence in their contribution to public engagement with science activities. A monetary prize of $5,000, a commemorative plaque, complimentary registration to the AAAS Annual Meeting, and reimbursement for reasonable hotel and travel expenses to attend the AAAS Annual Meeting to receive the prize are given to the recipient.

For the purposes of this award, public engagement activities are defined as the individual’s active participation in efforts to engage with the public on science- and technology-related issues and promote meaningful dialogue between science and society.

The award will be given at the AAAS Annual Meeting.

Eligibility

Nominee must be an early-career scientist or engineer in academia, government or industry actively conducting research in any scientific discipline (including social sciences and medicine). Groups or institutions will not be considered for this award. AAAS employees are ineligible. One scientist or engineer will be chosen to receive the award on an annual basis.

“Early career” is defined as an individual who has been in his/her current field for less than seven years and pre-tenure or job equivalent. Post-doctoral students are eligible for this award.

Nominee will have demonstrated excellence in his/her contribution to public engagement with science activities, with a focus on interactive dialogue between the individual and a non-scientific, public audience(s).

Types of public engagement activities might include: informal science education, public outreach, public policy, and/or science communication activities, such as mass media, public dialogue, radio, TV and film, science café, science exhibit, science fair, and social and online media.

Entries

All nominations must be submitted fully completed and postmarked on or before midnight, 15 October. Nominations may be mailed, faxed, or emailed to the AAAS Center for Public Engagement with Science and Technology.

Nominations may be made by AAAS affiliate organizations, universities, government agencies, media, research organizations, and individuals.

Prior nomination does not exclude a candidate from consideration in subsequent years.

The selection committee will include distinguished scientists, engineers, science communicators, and science popularizers named by AAAS. The decisions of the committee will be final.

During the award year, AAAS will expect the recipient will continue participating in public engagement with science activities and initiatives.

Nomination Procedures

You should provide: name, position, institution, professional address and e-mail, professional phone and fax, home address and home phone number of the candidate; name, position, institution, and professional address and phone of the nominator; a statement of the public engagement activities that form the basis for the nomination; at least two representative material samples or other documentation which illustrate or describe the candidate’s contribution; the candidate’s vitae; and the names of two supporting persons whom AAAS may contact for more information on the candidate and his/her contributions.

All materials submitted become the property of AAAS.

Submit

Please submit information to:

AAAS Center for Public Engagement with Science and Technology
Attn: Tiffany Lohwater
1200 New York Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20005
Phone: 202-326-8737
Fax: 202-789-0455
E-mail: tlohwate@aaas.org
Deadline

All materials must be received by 15 October.

[Prize site]