JOHN RAY TRUST SCIENCE PRIZE
The John Ray Trust invites nominations for a prize of £250 for the best research project undertaken by an undergraduate at the University of Cambridge in a field that John Ray would have been interested in.
The John Ray Trust was founded in 1986; its principal objectives are to advance the education of the public in the natural sciences and to promote increased awareness and appreciation of the work of John Ray (1627-1705), who was educated at Cambridge, was elected Fellow of the Royal Society in 1667 and was one of the most respected natural historians in Europe of his time. For further information, see the Trust’s website:
Eligibility: those who are registered undergraduates (normally finalists) in the University of Cambridge at the closing date of the application are eligible.
Application Deadline: 30 June each year
Application Procedure – all documents should be sent directly by email to the John Ray Trust and its administrator () by the deadline.
I. a nomination letter from the project supervisor should be sent directly to the John Ray Trust. If your project was performed independently, nominations should come instead from your Director of Studies, or supervisor in the most relevant discipline.
II. the nominated student should send the following to the John Ray Trust.
i) a completed nomination form, signed and scanned as a PDF.
ii) an electronic copy of the dissertation. If the file is large, we ask that you use
an on-line file delivery service (e.g. hightail).
iii) a PDF of a summary of the project, its scientific significance, and its
relevance to John Ray’s interests, clearly written and intelligible to a non- scientific audience, of up to 800 words. Supporting figures may be included. The winner’s summary will be uploaded onto the Trust’s website.
Conditions of the award: The winner must attend an award ceremony in Braintree, Essex (where John Ray himself was schooled) in late September, and give a talk at a local Braintree school about their experience of studying science at Cambridge. Travel expenses will be paid.
Date of Notification: 31 August each year
In considering applications, the Trust will place special importance on the research project’s relevance to John Ray’s interests and the layperson’s summary.
JOHN RAY TRUST SCIENCE PRIZE
NOMINATION FORM
TO BE COMPLETED BY NOMINEE
NAME OF PERSON NOMINATING YOU:
ADDRESS:
E-MAIL:
NAME OF NOMINEE:
STUDENT STATUS (EG. THIRD YEAR):
E-MAIL:
MOST RECENT UNIVERSITY EXAMINATION RESULTS:
TITLE OF RESEARCH PROJECT:
MARK AWARDED FOR RESEARCH PROJECT (IF GRADED, AND IF KNOWN):
CONTEXT OF RESEARCH PROJECT: explain the context in which you conducted the project, e.g. independent, summer project, dissertation in fulfillment of a degree requirement
TIME SPENT ON RESEARCH PROJECT: e.g. 3 weeks; 2 months.
SUPPORT FOR THE PROJECT: describe the help and support (both material and intellectual) you received in conducting this project, e.g. four hours of supervision from project supervisor.
You should tick this box if the following statement is correct
: The project I have submitted is work of my own, with support received as described above.
: In the event that I am awarded the prize, I undertake to attend an award ceremony in late September and give a talk in a school in Braintree (arranged by the John RayTrust) about my experience of studying science at Cambridge.
You should also send an electronic copy of your research project and a layperson’s summary of your project to the John Ray Trust ().
Signed:
Date: