The competition
If you are an MRC-funded PhD student or early-career researcher with an interest in communicating your science to a wider audience, the Max Perutz Science Writing Award is for you.
We want you, in no more than 800 words, to tell us why your research matters in a way that would interest a non-scientific audience. Tell us about your research and why it’s important. Why does it interest you? Why should it interest the reader?
The winning article will be promoted in the Metro newspaper, and the winner, runners-up and highly commended writers will also receive cash prizes. All shortlisted entrants are invited to a master class with professional writers and will be invited to an awards ceremony in central London on 12 September.
This year’s prestigious judging panel will include: MRC chief executive Sir John Savill; Metro science guru and editor of cosmonline.co.uk Ben Gilliland; science writer and author Dr Jenny Rohn; GP and author Dr Margaret McCartney; and last year’s Max Perutz Award winner Amy Capes from the University of Dundee.
Judging criteria
The judging criteria will be:
- Does the article answer the question why does my research matter?
- Does the article explain the writer’s research in a way that is easy to understand?
- Is it a compelling read?
The article must be based on the research you are doing. This could be on the whole of the project or on one aspect, but it should not be a general review of the area.
The piece should be aimed at a non-specialist audience; written at a level that an interested member of the public could understand while conveying the significance of your research or key issues. You can find top tips from past judges in ‘The secrets of good science writing’.
Winning entries from previous years are available to give you an idea of what we’re looking for; but please note, unlike previous years, this year’s competition is asking you to answer a specific question, why does my research matter?
The rules
- The competition opens on 1 May.
- The deadline for entries is 8 June.
- Articles should be submitted as part of a completed entry form and emailed to maxperutzaward@headoffice.mrc.ac.uk
- All current MRC-funded PhD students and MRC early-career researchers with a maximum of six years experience following completion of their first PhD are eligible to enter and may submit one article in each year of the competition.
- The article should be no more than 800 words, including the title — anything significantly longer will be disqualified. The article should be text only: no diagrams or tables should be included.
- The judges’ decision will be final.
Entry form for the Max Perutz Award
Dr Max Perutz
The award is named after the eminent scientist and Nobel laureate Dr Max Perutz, an accomplished and natural communicator, who died in 2002. Since the competition started in 1998, hundreds of MRC researchers have submitted entries and taken their first steps in communicating their science to the public.