College Park, MD, December 20, 2011 —Entries are requested for the 2012 American Institute of Physics (AIP) Science Communication Awards, which recognize effective science communication in print, broadcast, and new media in order to improve the general public's appreciation of physics, astronomy, and allied science fields.
Winners will receive a prize of $3,000, an engraved presentation piece, and a certificate of recognition. The publisher of the winning entries will also receive a certificate of recognition.
Candidates may nominate their own work or be nominated by someone else. This year, entrants can compete in the following three categories:
- Science writing: Books intended for a general audience. Submissions will be judged on their ability to enhance the public's understanding and appreciation of physics and related fields. For 2012, this category is restricted to books published in 2010 or 2011.
- Children's writing: Books, news or feature stories, multimedia, or Web content created specifically for children age 15 years or younger. For 2012, this category is restricted to work published or broadcast in 2011.
- New media: Work created specifically for the Web and that makes effective use of the medium. Examples include news and feature stories, blog entries, and multimedia (e.g. videos, podcasts, slideshows, and other interactive features). For 2012, this category is restricted to work published or broadcast in 2011.
Candidates must specify the category in which they are competing for each submitted work. No more than three entries may be submitted by a single author or group of authors per year. Authors may elect to have multiple (up to three) submissions judged as a single entry if they are part of a coherent story arc. Collaborative efforts on a single project will be considered a single entry, and prize money will be split accordingly.