The John Maddox Prize will reward an individual who has promoted sound science and evidence on a matter of public interest. Its emphasis is on those who have faced difficulty or hostility in doing so.
Nominations of people at an early stage in their careers are particularly welcomed.
The prize is open to nominations for any kind of public activity, including all forms of writing, speaking and public engagement, in any of the following areas:
• Addressing misleading information about scientific or medical issues in any forum.
• Bringing sound evidence to bear in a public or policy debate.
• Helping people to make sense of a complex scientific issue.
The winner will be awarded £2,000 and an announcement will be published in Nature.
Sir John Maddox, whose name this prize commemorates, was a passionate and tireless champion and defender of science, engaging with difficult debates and inspiring others to do the same. As a writer and editor, he changed attitudes and perceptions, and strove for better understanding and appreciation of science throughout his long working life.
The prize is a joint initiative of Nature, where Sir John was editor for 22 years, and Sense About Science, where he served as a trustee until his death in 2009. It is supported by a contribution from the Kohn Foundation.
Candidates for the John Maddox Prize must be nominated. The nominator should be an individual who is familiar with the work of the candidate. Self-nomination will be considered in exceptional circumstances, which should be described in the nomination letter. People from and in any country can be nominated.
The deadline for nominations is midnight on 20th August 2012 BST. Announcement of the winner will be in November 2012.
To apply please fill in the form towards the bottom of this page and upload a letter of nomination. In your letter please describe what the candidate has done in relation to the areas we outline above. Please provide links to supporting web pages if available. If you wish to send supporting information files, have any problems filling out the form or have any queries please contact: Victoria Murphy, Sense about Science.