Inclusion and Diversity Prize

Scope

The Inclusion and Diversity Prize does not recognise scientific research itself, including laboratory-based studies, even where led by individuals from underrepresented groups. Nor does it recognise work that does not demonstrate a clear benefit to representation, accessibility, or reducing bias within the chemical sciences.

All nominations are screened against the prize scope by RSC staff before assessment from the Prize Panel, and those falling outside the scope of the prize will not proceed to panel review.

Eligibility

• Individuals named in any of the following roles during the nomination and judging period are not eligible to nominate, be nominated (as an individual or as part of a team) or provide a reference:
  • Inclusion and Diversity Prize Committee members
  • RSC Subject Community Presidents
  • RSC Prize Committee members
  • Trustees of the Royal Society of Chemistry
  • Royal Society of Chemistry staff

Nominators:

• Both RSC members and non-members can nominate for this prize.
• Nominees may nominate themselves (see below and 'Guidance for Nominators' for further information). 

Nominees:

• The prize is open to nominees based in the UK or internationally.
• Both individuals and teams can be nominated.
• There are no career stage restrictions associated with this prize.
• We will not consider nominations of deceased individuals.
• We particularly encourage nominations of disabled people, those who work part-time, or whose career has spanned a break for any reason – for example, a period of parental or adoption leave, caring responsibilities, long-term illness, family commitments, or other circumstances. We understand that these can impact a nominee’s career in different ways, and encourage nominators to use the space provided on the nomination form to explain the nature and impact of the nominees’ individual circumstances (see 'Guidelines for Nominators' for further details).

General information

• Where an initiative, project or body of work has been named as a finalist or as the winner, that same work cannot be nominated again in a future cycle. The individual or team behind it may be nominated again for different work.
• Nominees should only be nominated once for this prize in any given prize cycle. In cases where we receive more than one nomination for the same nominee, only one nomination will go forward to judging.
• All unsuccessful nominations from the previous cycle will be retained on our nomination system ahead of the next cycle. To be considered again, nominators must log in, update, and resubmit the nomination for the following cycle. 
  • Please note that reconsideration is no longer automatic. A resubmitted nomination should also show how the work has developed since it was last considered, rather than updating details alone.
  • From the 2027 cycle, the nomination questions have been amended to reflect the updated selection criteria. Returning nominations must answer the amended questions in full, rather than resubmitting previous answers. 
  • RSC staff will write to nominators and nominees to confirm when the nomination window has re-opened. Nominators will receive instructions on how to log in and update the nomination.

To make a nomination, please use our online nomination system to submit the following information:

• Your name and contact details. The RSC reserves the right to amend nominations if necessary to ensure the anonymity of the nominator.
• Your nominee's name(s) and contact details. 
• Any information related to career breaks taken by your nominee - for example, a period of parental or adoption leave, caring responsibilities, long-term illness, family commitments, as well as any other circumstances including long-term conditions or disabilities. We understand that these can impact a nominee's career in different ways, and encourage nominators to use the space provided on the nomination form to explain the nature and impact of the nominee's individual circumstances. This information will be shared with the committee, but before doing so RSC staff will always seek consent from the nominee in cases where special category data is mentioned. 
• 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.
• Supporting statements addressing each of the selection criteria as follows:
  • Describe the nominee's approach or initiative, and engagement with their intended audience (250 words)
  • Novelty: What positive change has the initiative brought about, and how does this reflect novelty, originality or innovation within your respective domain? (250 words)
  • Impact: How has the initiative, activity or work become embedded in the system, culture or structure of an organisation or team, reflecting a lasting or systemic change? You may evidence this through follow-on work or a clear plan for how the impact will be sustained. that the nominee's work has had on the community (250 words)
    
    
• The name and contact details of one referee. For a team nomination, the reference should be for the team as a whole.
  • The reference should be a maximum of 750 words. Referees will be asked to state their relationship (if any) with the nominee and note any conflicts of interest.
  • All references must be submitted through the online system by the reference deadline, 20 January, 17:00 GMT. Nominations will not go forward to judging without a completed reference. Please ensure you submit your referee's details in plenty of time, to allow them sufficient opportunity to provide their reference.
  • As soon you submit your referee’s details, they will receive an automated e-mail with a link to submit their reference. Please contact [email protected] as soon as possible if you experience any issues with this.
  • It is the nominator’s responsibility to ensure that the referee is aware of the nomination, that they should expect an e-mail invitation to submit their reference, and that they are aware of what is required to ensure that the reference is submitted before the deadline.
  • All referees will receive one e-mail reminder from RSC staff in the week before the reference deadline. 

What makes a good nomination?

Our guidance for nominators page has more information on writing these supporting statements.

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 there is no impediment, relating to professional conduct, to their nominee receiving this prize. All prize winners will be asked to sign the RSC’s Code of Conduct Declaration for Recognition.

Make a nomination

Our selection panels base their evaluations on the overall quality of relevant contributions and achievements by nominees, in relation to the selection criteria listed below.

The selection panel will consider the following aspects of all nominations for the Inclusion and Diversity Prize as appropriate:

• Novelty, originality or innovation - A nomination may demonstrate any one or more of these qualities, it does not need to demonstrate all three. The nomination will be assessed in the context in which the work took place (e.g. an approach that is well established in one setting may be innovative in another).
• Extent of engagement with the intended audience - How far has the work reached the community it set out to reach? A smaller or more specific audience is not a disadvantage, provided the nomination is clear about who the work was for.
• Sustainable impact on others in the community - How the initiative, activity or work has become embedded in the system, culture or structure of an organisation or team, reflecting a lasting or systemic change.

The Inclusion and Diversity Prize was first established in 2017 as a biennial Prize to recognise the work of individuals and teams in promoting and improving the accessibility, inclusivity and diversity of the chemical science community.

Since 2021, the prize has been awarded annually, in recognition of the growing number of outstanding contributions across the sector.