Materials Today Rising Star Awards
OFFICIAL RULES
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE DOES NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCE OF WINNING. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED OR RESTRICTED BY LAW.
CONTEST DESCRIPTION: The Materials Today Innovation Award (the “Contest”) is a contest where participants are asked to nominate researchers in the field of materials science who have made significant breakthroughs to the field: specifically, the publication of landmark papers which have resulted in practical application (each such individual a “Nominee”).
SPONSOR: Elsevier Ltd, The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford OX5 1GB, UK
ELIGIBILITY: The Contest is open to nominate individuals worldwide who have (i) attained the age of majority in his/her state/provinces of residence as of the date of entry into the Contest and (ii) are working within the field of materials science and (iii) demonstrated to be exceptional researchers through their impact to society, as measured through publications, patents, discoveries, inventions and/or commercialised products (each such individual a “Nominee”). Employees (and the immediate families (including, spouses and parents, in-laws, siblings and children regardless of where they reside) and members of the same household of such employees, (whether or not related), of Sponsor, its parent, divisions, affiliates, dealers, subsidiaries and advertising and promotion agencies are not eligible to enter. Government officials are also not eligible to enter. “Government Official” means any officer or employee of a government or any department, agency, or instrumentality thereof, or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any such government or department, agency, or instrumentality, or for or on behalf of any such public international organization. This includes employees of state-owned or state-controlled entities, elected or appointed officials, heads of agencies or departments, doctors employed by state hospitals, professors employed by state universities, public librarians, school superintendents, principals and teachers. Nominees may be subject to rules imposed by their institution or employer relative to their participation in trade promotions and should check with their institution or employer for any relevant policies. Contest is subject to all applicable federal, state and/or local laws and regulations. Contest is void where prohibited or restricted by law.
CONTEST PERIOD: The Contest begins at 12:01:01 AM GMT on January 9, 2023 and ends at 11:59:59 PM GMT on March 31, 2023 (“Contest Period”). Sponsor's server shall serve as the official clock for the Contest.
HOW TO ENTER: Individuals may visit https://www.materialstoday.com/amorphous/news/mt-rising-star-award-2023/ (the “Website”) during the Contest Period and a) agree to the Official Rules; b) complete the official nomination form; c) answer the questions posted on the website, as to why the Nominee fits the definition (“Contest Entry”) and d) submit as directed. ALL ENTRIES MUST BE RECEIVED BY 11:59:59 PM GMT on March 31, 2023 TO BE ELIGIBLE. Self-nominations are welcome. Limit of one (1) Contest Entry per Nominee or email address for the Contest Period. In the event more than one (1) Contest Entry is received from any one person or email address on behalf of the same Nominee, the first Contest Entry processed will be considered the only valid Contest Entry received for such Nominee. Nominations from the previous 4 years will be automatically considered.
JUDGING CRITERIA: The editors of the journal Materials Today (collectively the “Editors”) will review all Contest Entries submitted during the Contest Period and will select potential top Nominees by applying the following judging criteria: Nominees who have contributed “monumental” work to the field, which has opened a new, significant field of research and resulted in practical applications - as such the criteria to be assessed will include the impact of the research the candidate has conducted and the contributions the candidate has made to the materials community, including but not limited to the candidates published research, as evaluated by the Editors. Decisions of the Editors and will be final and binding in all respects. This is a contest of skill where a Nominee’s odds of winning depend on how well their Entry compares with others submitted to the Contest pursuant to the judging criteria. The Sponsor, as determined through sole discretion of its Editors, reserves the right to not select a winner if it determines that the Entries do not meet, or may not meet, these judging criteria.
SELECTION OF WINNER: Up to eight (8) winners will be chosen by the Editors from all eligible Nominees on or about 30 April 2023. The potential winners will need to complete and return, in his/her official capacity, an Affidavit of Eligibility and Liability Release and, unless prohibited by law, a Publicity Release (“Affidavit”) within forty-eight (48) hours of receipt of the notice from the Sponsor. Failure to timely execute and return the required documents or the return of any notification as undeliverable may cause the prize award to be forfeited, at Sponsor’s sole discretion, and another winner will be selected. Odds of selection depend upon the number of qualified Contest Entries received.
PRIZE: Up to eight (8) winners will receive a cash award of $1000 (USD) each.
GENERAL PRIZE RESTRICTIONS: The prize will be awarded to the Nominee listed in the winning Entry. The entrant who submitted the Nominee does not win any prize. The prize may not be transferred nor assigned. All expenses and costs related to acceptance and use of prize not expressly listed above are entirely the winner’s responsibility. No cash or other substitution may be made, except by the Sponsor, who reserves the right to substitute the prize in whole or in part with another prize of comparable or greater value if the intended prize is not available for any reason as determined by the Sponsor in its sole discretion. Winners will be responsible for all applicable taxes (not limited to federal, state local and/or income) and will be required to provide his/her Social Security number or tax ID for tax reporting purposes as Sponsor will file an IRS Form 1099 with the Internal Revenue Service for the fair market value of prize. In the event that any potential winner is disqualified for any reason, that prize will be forfeited and awarded to an alternate winner. Sponsor shall not be responsible for any cancellation, delay, diversion, or any act or omission whatsoever by the mail carrier or any other person providing any of these services.
AGREEMENT TO THE OFFICIAL RULES: By participating in the Contest, each entrant fully and unconditionally agrees to and accepts these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor which are final and binding on entrants and Nominees in all matters related to the Contest. For the Contest Entry to be determined as a potential winner, the Nominee must provide written consent to accept the nomination and fully and unconditionally agree to and abide by the Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor and if chosen at random to be a winner, of the Contest. Failure to provide written consent within five (5) days of receipt of notification may result in disqualification of the Contest Entry for such Nominee. Except where prohibited by law, acceptance of prize constitutes permission for Sponsor to use the winner’s names, hometown, likeness, statements (where applicable) and other identifiable information for promotional, advertising and marketing purposes in any media throughout the world without additional prize, incentive, consideration, consent or review; and upon request, winners will provide written consent to such use.
GENERAL CONDITIONS / RELEASE: By participating, entrants and Nominees (a) release Sponsor, their respective directors, officers, agents and employees from any and all liability for any claims, costs, injuries, losses or damages of any kind caused by their participation, including the unauthorized or illegal access to personally identifiable or sensitive information or the acceptance, possession, use, or misuse of the prize; and (b) acknowledge that said parties have neither made nor are in any manner responsible or liable for any representation or guarantee, expressed or implied, in fact or in law, relative to a prize including, but not limited to the prize quality or availability. Neither Sponsor nor any service providers are responsible for incorrect or inaccurate transcription of Contest Entry information, or for any human or other error, technical malfunctions, lost/delayed data or voice transmission, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, line failures of any telephone network, computer equipment, software, inability to access any online service or Website or to complete a telephone call or facsimile transaction, or any other error or malfunction, or any injury or damage to participant’s or any other person’s computer related to or resulting from participation in this Contest. Any Contest Entry will be void if altered, deleted, destroyed, forged, fraudulent, improperly accessed, inaccurate, incomplete, interrupted, late, non-deliverable, tampered with, unauthorized or unintelligible. Sponsor’s failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision. If for any reason the Contest is not capable of being executed as planned, or infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, action of entrants, technical failures or any other causes which in the opinion of the Sponsor, corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of this Contest, Sponsor reserves the right at its sole discretion to disqualify any suspect Contest Entry or entrant and to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Contest. In the event of any cancellation, termination or suspension, notice thereof will be posted on the Website and the determination of the Contest winners will be made per the specifics described in the CONTEST WINNER DETERMINATION section from among all eligible, non-suspect Contest Entries received as of the date of the termination, cancellation or suspension, as Sponsor determines in its sole discretion provided that in such circumstances Sponsor reserves the right not to name any winners. Entries not complying with all rules are subject to disqualification.
RIGHT TO USE ENTRIES: By entering the Contest, entrants and Nominee grant Sponsor an exclusive, irrevocable, royalty-free, perpetual, worldwide right and license to reproduce, publish, display, edit and otherwise use all materials submitted for the Contest and Nominee’s full name and city and state/province/country of residence, photograph, likeness, and voice, online and in print or any other media for purposes of editorials, exhibition, advertising, publicity and promotion of the Contest and Sponsor’s publications and products, without additional compensation or permission, unless prohibited by law.
WINNERS: To receive Contest results (winners list), go to the Materials Today Website or email materialstoday@elsevier.com through December 31, 2023.