Get involved in this year's Prize Award Panel

22 April 2020

Each year, the Microbiology Society awards five Prize Lectures in recognition of significant contributions to microbiology. This year, we are asking members to volunteer to participate on the Prize Award Panel, which will judge nominations for the 2021 Prizes and 2022 Prize Medal.

The panel will discuss all nominations received before presenting a shortlist for the Prize Medal and a recommendation for all other Prize winners to Council for endorsement when they meet in September.

How to express your interest?

To express an interest in participating in the 2020 Prizes Award Panel, please contact [email protected] with your name, job title, affiliation, area of expertise and brief summary of your suitability as a member of the Panel (no more than 250 words) by 11 May 2020. 

The General Secretary will review expressions of interest and appoint a panel of six members who will be notified by 14 May. A reserve list will also be created, in case of conflicts of interest – this will be determined after the Prize Lecture nomination deadline on 10 June 2020.

The 2020 Prizes Panel will convene on 1 July 2020 at the University of Leeds to review nominations for the 2021 Prize Lectures and 2022 Prize Medal. Prospective panel members should ensure they are available to attend this meeting.

Council member Deirdre Devine, University of Leeds, served on last year’s Award Panel and describes her experience of this as follows: ‘These awards are important, and the Society is rightly proud of the achievements of the winners.  But the process was led by seasoned colleagues and I was impressed by the time, thought and robust discussion that went into the decisions we made, and the equal weight given to the views of each member of the panel.’

‘Being a part of the Panel is really interesting and a privilege to see the amazing things our members have done, while also gaining a greater understanding of what goes into a good nomination.  It is also good for the Society: the more the wider membership participates, the more confident the whole Society will be in the process and the celebration of the achievements of those awarded our prizes.’

To register your interest to participate in this year’s Prizes Award Panel or for any related queries, please contact [email protected].