Accomplished scientists working in Ireland are invited to apply for the 2003 Royal Dublin Society/Irish Times Boyle Medal. The award, presented in recognition of excellence in scientific research, includes a €40,000 bursary.
The medal was inaugurated by the RDS in 1899 to recognise "scientific research of exceptional merit carried out in Ireland" and during its first century, 32 medals were presented to some of Ireland's leading scientists. It takes its name from one of Ireland's most famous scientists, Robert Boyle (1627-1691), who is described as the father of chemistry.
The RDS and The Irish Times decided in the medal's centenary year to reconstitute the Medal Award and to include the bursary. Announced in November 1998, and first presented in September 1999, the Bursary provides funding to sustain a three-year research effort by a graduate or postgraduate student.
The key to the award is that the student works directly under the recipient of the Boyle Medal, an Irish-based scientist acknowledged by international peers to be contributing at the very highest level to the advancement of scientific knowledge.
The Boyle Medal is presented every two years. It alternates between a scientist working in Ireland and an Irish-born scientist working abroad. The bursary is associated only with the researcher working in Ireland.
The 2003 award will be presented to a scientist of any nationality working in Ireland. The Boyle laureate then chooses a graduate student who for the following three years will work with the laureate. The €40,000 bursary is paid in the form of three annual payments, two of €15,000 and one of €10,000. It will not actually go to the Boyle Medal recipient but will be available to fund a research student working under the medal-winning scientist.
The scientist who wins the medal and bursary need not be Irish-born but must be involved in research work here and must be in a position to continue to work with the student over the three-year life of the bursary. In this way our best students can ensure continuity of study under an acknowledged leader in Irish research. Scientists may not nominate themselves for the award. Applications must come from the president or head of a college, faculty or research institute. Nominations may also come from the managing director or head of research function within a company on behalf of an employee or from the secretary of a professional body.
A two-part judging process takes place for the selection of the Boyle Laureate. The initial judging round involves the preparation of a shortlist of no more than five individuals, chosen by a group of leading scientists working in Irish universities and institutes.An international panel of independent judges will be selected on the basis of the academic disciplines reflected in the shortlist. These peers will in turn interview those on the shortlist and select the winning scientist.
The closing date for applications is March 1st, 2003. Information and application forms for the 2003 Boyle Medal award are available from Claire Mullin at The Irish Times, 13 D'Olier Street, Dublin 2, Tel: 01 6758709, email ctmullin@irish-times.ie or Annette McDonnell at Royal Dublin Society, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4, Tel: 01 2407217, email Annette.McDonnell@rds.ie
Information about the Boyle Medal and application forms is also available on www.ireland.com