Rules  |  Entry Form  |  Past Winners:   Journalist  |  Scientist  |  Children  |  Broadcast Media

Science Writing Award

Purpose

To promote effective science communication in print and broadcast media in order to improve the general public's appreciation of physics, astronomy, and allied science fields.

Award

The entries will be judged by a committee of distinguished scientists and journalists selected by the American Institute of Physics (AIP).

The winning author will receive a prize of $3,000, an engraved Windsor Chair, and a certificate of recognition. The publisher will receive a certificate honoring the publication in which the work appeared. AIP will pay the winning author's travel expenses to receive the award.

Rules

  1. All 2011 entries for the Science Writing and Broadcast Awards must have been published or aired between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2010. Entries for the Children's Writing Award must have been published between January 1 and December 31, 2010. See below for more details on the categories.
  2. Entries must be available to, and intended for, the general audiences. All entries must have been published or translated into English.
  3. Collaborative efforts of multiple authors will be considered as a single entry, and prize money will be split accordingly.
  4. No more than three entries by a single author or group of authors may be submitted. If more than three entries are submitted by an author, only the first three will be eligible.
  5. Authors may elect to have all of their entries (up to three) judged as a single "series entry" -- BUT ONLY if the entry forms clearly states that the pieces are to be considered part of a series. Otherwise, multiple entries from the same author will be judged as separate pieces i the contest.
  6. Every entry must include a complete entry form, together with nine original copies of each book, article, or broadcast. Printed PDF copies of magazine articles will be accepted ONLY if they faithfully render the actual appearance of the orignal article. B&W photocopies of full-color originals are not accepted. You can also fill out the form online.
    All material must be sent to:
    American Institute of Physics
    Media & Government Relations Division
    One Physics Ellipse
    College Park, MD 20740-3843
    Attention: Tatiana Bonilla
  7. All entries must arrive no later than April 16, 2011.
  8. All entries become the property of the American Institute of Physics and will not be returned to the author or publisher.
  9. The work of employees of AIP, or by current members of the judging panel, is not eligible. No author is eligible to receive more than three awards. The winner from the previous year is not eligible.

Categories

Science Writing:
Entries for the 2011 competition must be articles written for a general audience by a journalist or sciencetist and published between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2010. Books published between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2011 will be judged in 2012. In odd years, the competition focuses on magazine and newspaper articles.

Children's
Entries for 2011 must be books, articles, or booklets intended for children between preschool ages and up to 15 years of age, which were published between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2010.

Science Broadcast
Entries for 2011 must be, scripted radio broadcasts, television programs, or internet podcasts that are longer than 15 minutes and originally aired between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2010. Short Programs that air from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2011 will be judged in 2012. In odd years, the competition focuses on pieces that are longer than 15 minutes.

All broadcast entries must be submitted with nine copies of the original program on DVD or CD.