Invitation to Nominate Candidates

The European Science Foundation (ESF) invites nominations for the European Latsis Prize 2009.

The Prize, of a value of 100 000 Swiss Francs, is presented each year by the International Latsis Foundation at the ESF Annual Assembly to a scientist or research group in recognition of outstanding and innovative contributions in a selected field of research. The research field for the 2009 Prize is "The Human Brain - The Human Mind".

"The Human Brain - The Human Mind"

In the past decades both knowledge on the brain and on mental activities has increased exponentially. Although both fields continue to generate research independently of the other, it is in the interdisciplinary investigation of the relationship between the functions of the brain and the activities of the mind, that groundbreaking research is taking place today.

The European Latsis Prize 2009 will be awarded for an outstanding contributions to the development of interdisciplinary research on "The Human Brain - The Human Mind", which has had a major impact in this domain. Excellent research achievements related to the main disciplines which have contributed to this development, e.g. neuroscience, cognitive science, psychology and linguistics - will be considered.

The criteria used in the selection procedure will be scientific excellence, a focus on the relation between brain and mind, societal impact, and contribution to European progress.

Nominations may be received for individual scholars or for research groups, but no self nominations will be accepted.  All nomination forms should be clearly presented and include a detailed nomination statement (maximum 2 pages) setting out clear reasons for the submission, a complete Curriculum Vitae and a full list of publications.

The nominations will be evaluated by a high-level committee of experts in the field. The European Latsis Prize 2009 will be awarded on the occasion of the Annual Assembly of the European Science Foundation on Thursday 19 November 2009, in Strasbourg, France.

Former laureates of the European Latsis Prize

1999 "Research and/or Innovation in Education", Jürgen Baumert, German
2000 "Molecular Structure", Kenneth Holmes, Germany/United Kingdom
2001 "Climate Research", André Berger, Belgium
2002 "Cognitive Sciences", Annette Karmiloff-Smith, United Kingdom
2003 "Archaeology", Colin Renfrew, United Kingdom
2004 "Bioinformatics", Amos Bairoch, Switzerland
2005 "Nano-Engineering", Donal Bradley, United Kingdom
2006 "Immigration and Social Cohesion in Modern Societies", Rainer Bauböck, Austria
2007 "Medical Imaging", Willi Kalender, Germany
2008 "Astrophysics", Simon White, Germany/United Kingdom

Nominations

Nominations to be submitted online.  You will be required to upload a file containing the nomination statement and complete Curriculum Vitae with full list of publications.

The Nomination Statement should cover:

1. The merits of an individual or group's work on the present state of the topic.
2. The impact on the scientific community of the work of the individual candidate or group nominated.
3. Recognition by peers within the scientific community.
4. Influence on practice in the field through publications and other means of dissemination, including teaching and training students in the field. 
5. Contributions made to scientific excellence, societal impact and European progress. 

The nomination form can be filled in here. The deadline for nominations is 30 June 2009.