Spiers Memorial Award

The Spiers Memorial Award is in recognition an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the field of the Faraday Discussion.

Faraday Discussions are unique international discussion meetings which focus on rapidly developing areas of physical chemistry. Each meeting is opened by an introductory lecturer who is encouraged to set the scene for the discussion.

There are four Faraday Discussion meetings each year. The Spiers Memorial Award will be awarded to one of the four introductory lecturers who is likely to provide the most stimulating and wide-ranging introduction to the discussion.

Rules and Criteria

• Run annually
• Nominations are made by the Scientific Committees of the four Faraday Discussions in each year
• Award winner will be chosen by the Faraday Division Awards Committee
• Award winner receives £2000, a medal and a certificate which will be presented at the conference dinner of the Faraday Discussion in which the winner is speaking

About the award

This award is to commemorate Frederick S Spiers, born 21 October 1875, best known for his work as Secretary of the Faraday Society which he helped to found in 1902. 

During the first World War, he stimulated the formation of a Nitrogen Products Committee of the Faraday Society. As a result of the reports of this Committee, in part drafted by Mr Spiers, important researches were carried out by the Munitions Inventions Department. He also organised for the British Sciences Guild the successful exhibitions of British Science Products in 1917 and 1918. For his work in connection with the war he received the Order of the British Empire. 

Mr Spiers was keenly interested in all forms of applied arts and at one time was engaged in the production of decorative metal work by electrodeposition. The Gold Medal and Diploma of the Franco-British Exhibition held in 1908 was awarded for some of this work. When war broke out he devoted his work to munitions.   He was also a keen talmudical scholar and his love for music amounted almost to a passion.