The Association of British Science Writers (ABSW) is delighted to announce new sponsorship from DeepMind to support the first ever ABSW Young Science Writer of the Year Award.
On announcing this new partnership, Alex O’Brien, Vice-Chair of the ABSW and the main force behind the new award said:
The Young Science Writer Award is designed to get young people writing and thinking about the big questions in science, technology, engineering, and maths, with a focus on how science impacts on policymaking and society. DeepMind are an ideal partner for the ABSW as their focus on ‘inspiring the next generation of scientists, engineers, and ethicists’, aligns completely with the ABSW aim of inspiring the next generation of science writers.
Obum Ekeke, Head of Education Partnerships at DeepMind, said:
Ensuring that young people have a voice in the field of science and technology is paramount to building a future fit for their generation. The ABSW continues to do amazing work to make this possible, so we are proud to partner with them on the first ever Young Science Writer of the Year Award. Many people connect with complex ideas through storytelling, and we believe that each of the students involved in this process has a voice that will inspire others to think about the biggest questions our world faces.
The Young Science Writer of the Year Award was launched earlier this year and is a new initiative for the ABSW. The Award is for 14–16-year-old students who are required to submit an essay on any subject in science, technology, engineering and/or mathematics.
The award judges are looking for great storytelling. They expect the essays to be enlightening, informative and engaging and to also include analysis, context, and perspective, helping the reader understand the social, ethical, and political implications of scientific advances.
In this first year the competition was open to students in Glasgow, Cardiff, Birmingham, and the London Borough of Newham. In future years the award will be open to other areas.
The Award attracts a first prize of £1000, mentorship, and 1-year ABSW membership, the second and third prizes provide £250, plus a 1-year ABSW membership. The prize winners and their entire class will be invited to the Award Ceremony held at the Royal Institution on Monday June 27, 2022.
The winning essay will be published on the BBC news site with a mention of their school. Two runners-up will be published on the ABSW website, with a link to their essays from the winning article on the BBC news site. The winning student will have a one-hour session with an experienced journalist/editor or writer to discuss what a career in science writing entails and how best to continue honing their writing. The prize money is intended to help support the winners’ personal development.
For further information contact:
Sallie Robins, Executive Secretary, ABSW
[email protected]
Danielle Breen, DeepMind
[email protected]
About DeepMind
DeepMind is a scientific discovery company, committed to ‘solving intelligence to advance science and benefit humanity.’ They believe that solving intelligence requires a diverse and interdisciplinary team working closely together – from scientists and designers, to engineers and ethicists – to pioneer the development of advanced artificial intelligence.
The company’s most significant breakthroughs include AlphaGo, the first computer program to beat a professional Go player, a feat described as a decade ahead of its time, and our protein-folding system AlphaFold. They have more than one thousand published research papers, partnerships with scientific organisations, and hundreds of contributions to Google’s products.
The Young Science Writer of the Year award is funded by Alex and Jeff O'Brien and by the sponsorship from DeepMind, with support by the BBC and the Royal Institution.
