Background
Scientific literacy is today more important than ever. The artificial separation between humanities and science, as distinct ways of interpreting the world, has long been surpassed. In the modern world, a basic grasp of what scientific knowledge is, how it is produced, and how to interpret it, is crucial to navigate a wide array of issues that regulate our daily lives, from climate to vaccines, and from gene-editing to artificial intelligence.
At the individual level, science and technology are not only essential for informed decision-making and as a protection from misinformation. They also open the path to an ever growing array of high-skilled occupations, that are deemed essential for economic growth and for the development of a knowledge-based economy.
Yet, poverty and a disadvantaged social background remain huge hurdles on the path to scientific literacy, and to scientific and technological careers. One of the main hurdles is aspirational: most children and teenagers are inspired by science, but those from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds seldom see it as a profession, and they never meet people in science-related jobs, nor visit the places where scientific research is produced.
Aims
The Cosmos Prize initiative aims to address these issues. Our goals are:
- – to promote critical thinking and scientific culture worldwide — in particular amongst young people from socially and economically disadvantaged backgrounds — through the reading and discussion of outstanding science outreach books;
- – to recognize and celebrate scientists and science writers who most effectively engage the general public and improve the public understanding of fundamental science.
Prizes
Every year, two prizes are assigned in each participating country, for the best work of science popularization in fundamental science (especially physics, astronomy, mathematics, broadly defined):
- the “Cosmos Prize”, assigned by a scientific committee composed of internationally renowned scientists;
- the “Cosmos Students Prize”, assigned by an assembly of hundreds of high-school students, through a system of “Student Juries” activated on the national territory, after interviews with shortlisted authors and a debate with fellow students.
Organisation
National organising committee. We invite individuals who would like to organise a Cosmos Prize initiative in their country, to contact the Cosmos Prize organisers. Once approved, the national organising committee will be formally in charge of coordinating and supervising the initiative at the national level. The chair of the organising committee reports yearly to the Cosmos Prize organisers.
Ministry of education or equivalent institution. The national organising committee works with the Ministry of education, or with an equivalent network/institution able to reach out to all secondary schools in the country, including those hosting students from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds. They send out at the beginning of the school year of every year an invitation to students to participate in the initiative.
Schools. Interested schools submit their application via a form prepared by the Organising Committee. Each participating school identifies a reference teacher who will set up a “Student Jury” of 10 to 20 students.
Publishers. Publishers send paper or electronic versions of the books they wish to submit to the organising committee, and grant permissions for the books to be distributed to the scientific committee and to the schools
Scientific Committee. A Scientific Committee made of outstanding scientists active in science outreach, selects 5 books among those submitted by publishers as finalists for the Cosmos Prize. Together with the organising committee, they also identify the 5 books that will be sent to schools.
Selection Process
Selection Process Students Prize. All students read the 5 shortlisted books, participate in the debates with the authors organised by the national committee, and express a preference for one of them. Each Student Jury identifies then the work that has collected the most preferences, and names a representative from among its members, who will represent the jury at the national Assembly that will proclaim the winning book.
Selection Process Cosmos Prize. After public debates with the finalists, the scientific committee identifies the winner of the Cosmos Prize.
Award Ceremony. The two prizes are awarded to the winning authors in presence of representatives of the scientific committee and a delegation of students.