The focus of the 2023 awards will be on initiatives and programmes that focus on intersectionality within the materials science research community.
The Materials Today Agents of Change awards will provide two grants of up to $10,000. The grants will be presented to a person or group within the materials science research community actively engaged in an initiative that encourages inclusivity and diversity.
Deadline for nominations: 2nd of April 2023
Materials Today is committed to encouraging diversity in materials science and believes that the future of materials science depends on a robust and diverse workforce drawn from all corners of society.
We are delighted to announce to announce the Materials Today Agents of Change awards.
Each year the Materials Today Agents of Change awards will recognise initiatives that are taking practical steps to encourage a more inclusive materials science research community. The focus of the 2023 awards will be on initiatives and programs that focus on intersectionality within the materials science research community.
Creating a truly inclusive and diverse culture requires the acknowledgement that people's identities are made up of many distinct parts, and that those parts actively create a unique contributor to each community they participate in.
"One cannot prioritize one dimension of diversity; we must make progress in all fronts... actions that focus on multiple aspects of diversity drive change more effectively by including everybody"
Kumsal Bayazit, Elsevier CEO at EU Gender in Science Symposium
Materials Today is in a strong position to encourage diversity within the materials science community – we organise five large materials science conferences, and across our journals work with over 2,300 editors and editorial board members serving over 45,000 authors. We hope that through the Agents of Change award, and other initiatives we are undertaking, that we can help foster a more diverse materials science research community.
The Materials Today Agents of Change awards will provide two grants of up to $10,000. The grants will be presented to a person or group within the materials science research community actively engaged in an initiative that encourages inclusivity and diversity.
Criteria for consideration
- The nominees for the awards can be grass roots initiatives, department level initiatives, or wider initiatives within the materials science community
- Initiatives must relate to the materials science research community
- Initiatives should use empirical insight and data to identify the goal of the initiative and evaluate the success of the initiative
- Special consideration will be given to awards that have a strong sustainability plan to ensure continued success of the initiative beyond the initial award
- The judges will give priority to nominations where they consider the award grant will make a significant difference to the initiative
Award:
- The awards will come with a grant of up to $10,000 that should be used to support and develop the initiative
- The recipient of the award will be interviewed on Materials Today to provide an oversight of their initiative and what they intend to use the award money for
- A follow up interview and webinar will be arranged one year after the grant of the award to showcase how the initiative has developed since the award was granted and what the next steps are.
Deadlines and Further Information
Award 2023
2nd April 2023 - Nominations for the Materials Today Agents of Change Award 2023 should be received.
Details to include in the nomination for the award (please complete the nomination form found here)
- A short biography of the people/person involved in the initiative (150 words per person)
- An overview of the initiative – what it intends to achieve and what it has achieved so far (if applicable) (500 words)
- A statement on how the award money would help to support the initiative (250 words)
- A statement on what data sources are being used to identify the need for the initiative, and what data sources will be used to evaluate the initiative (500 words)
- A sustainability plan outlining how the project will continue beyond the initial grant (500 words)
- A supporting statement from a nominator outlining the potential impact of the initiative and why the grant of the award would be significant for the initiative (500 words)
17th April 2023 - Submissions will be initially assessed for suitability by the Materials Today team (https://www.materialstoday.com/the-team/). A shortlist of candidates, with an overview of their projects, will be published on MaterialsToday.com.
The shortlist will then be sent to a team of up to seven external judges.
10th May 2023 - The recipient of the award will be announced.
4th August 2023 - Award ceremony Materials Today Conference 2023.
-- For any questions relating to the Materials Today Agents of Change initiative, please email materialstoday@elsevier.com
About Elsevier:
Elsevier helps researchers make new discoveries, collaborate with their colleagues, and give them the knowledge they need to find funding. We help governments and universities evaluate and improve their research strategies. We help doctors save lives, providing insight for physicians to find the right clinical answers, and we support nurses and other healthcare professionals throughout their careers.
To find out more, please visit: https://www.elsevier.com