The European Solar Physics Division (ESPD) of the European Physical Society (EPS) awards several prizes every year in recognition of the scientific excellence of European solar physicists and their service to the community. In 2025, the following prizes will be awarded:
- The ESPD Patricia Edwin PhD Thesis Prize
- The ESPD Giancarlo Noci Early Career Prize
- The ESPD Kees Zwaan Inspirational Community Prize
These prizes are nomination-based. The deadline for nomination is March 4th, 2025.
ESPD aspires to be an inclusive and welcoming environment for all who enjoy solar physics. In order to promote equality in science, ESPD strongly encourages the nomination of female and other under-represented categories in solar physics.
Further information about eligibility, documents to be included in the nomination package, and submission process for each prize can be found on the ESPD prizes webpage.
Note: in order to access the nomination form, a Google account is needed. In case a Google account is not available, please send the nomination package to sophie.masson@lpp.polytechnique.fr
ESPD Patricia Edwin PhD Thesis Prize
This Prize will be awarded to a young researcher whose PhD thesis was defended in 2024.
Eligibility: To qualify for this prize, the viva or public defence of the nominee must have taken place the calendar year before the award of the prize: e.g. applicants with defence/viva between 01/01/2024 and 31/12/2024 are eligible for the 2025 round of the ESPD PhD Thesis prize. The PhD degree should have been awarded by a European Institute and the majority of the work carried out in Europe. European countries are defined as the countries having a national society being a member society of the EPS .
ESPD Giancarlo Noci Early Career Researcher (Postdoc) Prize
This prize will be awarded to a young researcher whose PhD degree was awarded after 01/01/2021 (with possible extension).
To qualify for this prize, the viva or public defence (or date of award of the PhD when no thesis defence was held) of the nominee must have taken place no more than 4 calendar years before the award of the prize: e.g. applicants with defense/viva between 01/01/2021 and 31/12/2024 are eligible to apply for the 2025 round, if no further justification of an extension is provided. As long as the 4 years period is respected, there is no limit on the number of applications, i.e. an applicant is allowed to send an application in successive years. At the moment of the nomination, the applicant should not have a permanent position.
Incapacitating sick leave or similar circumstances extend the period of eligibility by a time span equal to the leave time. An extension of 6 months is given for maternal/paternal leaves, for each child born within the 4-year period. Periods of unemployment do not qualify for an extension. Written justification for the requested extension must be provided.
Although the primary criterion for awarding the prize is scientific excellence, candidacy with a clearer connection with institutes located in Europe (as defined by the EPS membership ) will be an advantage, in the case of equal level of scientific merit.
ESPD Kees Zwaan Inspirational Community Prize
This ESPD prize will be awarded, with the aim of recognizing researchers/technicians/organizations/groups whose contribution goes beyond scientific research in the field of Solar Physics.
Eligibility:
– an individual who has overcome a disadvantage (social, economic, educational, etc.) to make an important contribution to Solar Physics and his/her example has inspired others;
– an individual/organisation/group that has enabled advances in research and/or study in Solar Physics to benefit the general public/community at large;
– an individual/organisation/group that, through teaching, development of instruments and other Solar Physics applications, facilitated or encouraged under-represented and/or under-privileged groups to engage with and exploit advances in Solar Physics.
(Transmis par Sophie Masson)