Our Horizon Prizes for Education celebrate the ground-breaking innovations and initiatives that mark a step change in education. This could include teaching programmes or techniques, research breakthroughs or innovative technology.
- Run annually
- Up to three prizes are available
- Winners are selected by the Education Prize Committee
- These prizes are open to teams, collaborations and individuals.
- Winners will receive:
- A professionally produced video showcasing the prize-winning work and its importance, and supporting others in the education community to apply the work in their own context.
- A trophy recognising the whole team.
- All team members will receive a certificate and a token of recognition for their contribution.
2021 Winner
2021 Horizon Prize for Education Winner
Exploring Everyday Chemistry, University of York
For the development and significant impact of an innovative free online course designed to aid the transition to study chemistry and related degrees at university.
2021 Horizon Prize for Education Winner
Molecular Educators, University of California, Los Angeles; Element26, Inc.; Baylor University
For the creation of innovative chemical education resources that benefit how students, children, and the general public learn organic chemistry.
2021 Horizon Prize for Education Winner
The Lab_14 Collaboration, University College London
For the development of a 1st year undergraduate remote laboratory experience, which provides students with a ‘chemistry kit for the 21st century’ and places a focus on measurement within everyday contexts.
Guidelines for nominators
- Nominations open 6 April
- Nominations close 22 June, 17:00 BST
- Nominees do not need to be members of the RSC.
- Nominators do not need to be members of the RSC.
- Self-nomination is permitted and encouraged.
- These prizes are open to nominees based in the UK or internationally.
- These prizes are open to teams, collaborations and individuals
- Initiatives led by the Royal Society of Chemistry are not eligible to be nominated.
- Individuals named in any of the following roles during the nomination and judging period are not eligible to nominate or be nominated:
- Education Prize Committee members
- RSC Subject Community Presidents
- RSC Prize Committee members
- Trustees of the Royal Society of Chemistry.
- Royal Society of Chemistry staff
To make a nomination, please use our online nominations system to submit the following information:
- Your name and contact details.
- Details of a primary contact for the team.
- A list of all individuals who contributed to the initiative. The primary contact for the team will be asked to confirm the list and if necessary add additional team members at the point of nomination.
- A short citation describing what the nominee should be awarded for. This must be no longer than 250 characters (including spaces) and no longer than one sentence.
- Details of any publically available outputs, e.g. journal articles, reports, conference abstracts, blog posts or pieces of software. The outputs should typically be from the last five years.
- A supporting statement (up to 750 words), written for a general education audience, addressing the selection criteria below:
- Quality of initiative and its evaluation/dissemination activities: A summary/description of the initiative (300 words).
- Originality: Description of the originality of the initiative (150 words).
- Impact within education: Summary of the significance and potential impact of the initiative within the education sector, and why it should be recognised. Include any potential for broader applicability within education (for example within different education settings) (300 words).
The RSC reserves the right to rescind any prize if there are reasonable grounds to do so. All nominators will be asked to confirm that, to the best of their knowledge, their nominee's professional standing is such that there is no confirmed or potential impediment to them receiving this prize. All winners will be asked to sign the RSC's Code of Conduct Declaration for Recognition.
Make a nominationSelection Criteria and Judging Panel
Our selection committees base their evaluations primarily on the overall quality of relevant contributions made by nominees and not on quantitative measures.
The selection committee will consider the following aspects of nominations for this prize:
- Quality of initative and its evaluation/dissemination activities
- Originality
- Impact within education
Education Prize Committee
- Dudley Shallcross, University of Bristol (chair)
- Craig Early, Wygate Park Academy
- Samia El-Ali, Claremont High School
- Niki Kaiser, Notre Dame High School
- Ryan Mewis, Manchester Metropolitan University
- Katharine Pemberton, Modbury Primary School
- Lizzy Ostler, University of Brighton
- David Read, University of Southampton
- Jacquie Robson, Durham University
- Holly Yu, University of Glasgow
History of the prize
These prizes were created in 2020, as part of a series of changes introduced following an independent review of the Royal Society of Chemistry’s recognition programmes.
These prizes belong to our new family of Horizon Prizes, which highlight the most exciting, contemporary developments in the chemical sciences at the cutting edge of research and innovation, celebrating those who are opening up new directions and possibilities in their field.
Re-thinking recognition: Science prizes for the modern world
This report is the result of an independent review of our recognition programmes. Our aim in commissioning this review was to ensure that our recognition portfolio continues to deliver the maximum impact for chemical scientists, chemistry and society.
Education Prizes
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