Nominations are now open for the new SEK 100,000 prize established by The Hamrin Foundation and Örebro University. Anyone can nominate researchers, journalists or authors who have made a major impact in spreading scientific knowledge.
Örebro University and The Hamrin Foundation have jointly established two new annual prizes for “outstanding research communication”. The larger prize of SEK 100,000 goes to a person who has made a major impact in disseminating scientific knowledge.
The awards are financed by The Hamrin Foundation, based in Jönköping.
“We are very pleased to collaborate with Örebro University, which has shown great commitment and success in reaching out to society. The independent knowledge that exists in academia is so important for the public debate and for the development of society,” says Lovisa Hamrin, chair of The Hamrin Foundation.
In addition to the prize of SEK 100,000, an internal prize of SEK 50,000 will be established and awarded to a researcher or doctoral student at Örebro University. The external prize of SEK 100,000 has a broad target group. Researchers, journalists, authors and representatives of organizations are examples of possible recipients.
Communication about research is important to ensure informed citizens in a democratic society. It can be crucial for making the right decisions on complex societal issues,” says Johan Schnürer, vice-chancellor at Örebro University.
The Hamrin Foundation has supported research communication at Jönköping University for over ten years. The collaboration with Örebro University is the first outside the Jönköping region, during Lovisa Hamrin’s time as chair.
Until February 28, 2023, the nomination of award winners is open on Örebro University’s website. The criteria for the external prize, a scholarship of SEK 100,000, include that the person, nationally or internationally, has “communicated research results with great impact over a long period of time”, and that the communication has “initiated or renewed a socially important debate or led to a tangible change in practice”.
For the internal prize, a scholarship of SEK 50 000, the importance of the communication reaching selected target groups, such as decision-makers or schoolchildren, is emphasized just as for the external prize. Both prizes will be awarded for three years and then evaluated.
Decisions on the winners are made by the vice-chancellor of Örebro University, the chair of The Hamrin Foundation, the secretary general of Vetenskap & Allmänhet and the head of communications at Örebro University.
The prize is awarded in connection with the Academic Ceremony at Örebro University on May 6.
Contact:
The Hamrin Foundation: Lovisa Hamrin, lovisa.hamrin@hamrinfoundation.com , 070-787 78 26
Örebro University: Johan Schnürer, johan.schnurer@oru.se, 070-815 19 78.
FACTS
The Hamrin Foundation
The Hamrin Foundation’s mission is to create bridges between academia, industry and society. The foundation invests in research and development projects in areas such as media and important social issues.
The Hamrin Foundation was founded in 1986 in Småland. Since 1988, The Hamrin Foundation has invested approximately SEK 320 million in research.
Örebro University
Today, 134 professors, 870 teachers and researchers and 490 doctoral students are attached to eight departments and three faculties at Örebro University.
Örebro University is ranked between 401 and 500 in the Times Higher Education’s ranking of the world’s best universities. In the list of scientific citations, the university is ranked third in Sweden, after Karolinska Institutet and the University of Gothenburg.
