Investigation Award
The Peter Hans Hofschneider Investigation Award for Scientific and Medical Journalism is awarded by Stiftung Experimentelle Biomedizin. The object of the award is the promotion of special investigation achievements and projects in scientific and medical journalism.
The award is granted for journalistic work and planned investigation projects in the fields of science and research that are convincing on account of both a clear presentation of scientific facts and the investigation of political, scientific or societal backgrounds. Journalistic articles that shed light on the structure and function of self-monitoring and quality assurance in science in a constructive manner are expressly welcome.
To the laureatesConditions of participation
Authors may submit a maximum of two works which were published in a German-language medium in Switzerland, Austria or Germany in 2021, 2022. Works may be submitted by individual applicants or by investigation teams. Besides the investigation achievement circumscribed above, the decisive factor is an easily comprehensible and professional presentation of the issue. Besides the works that have already been published, the jury will also take into consideration the submitted investigation concept for a future publication (cf. also under Applications).
Award
The Peter Hans Hofschneider Investigation Award for Scientific and Medical Journalism is worth CHF 20,000, which is paid in the form of a grant earmarked for an investigation project (including personal fee, as well as travel and material costs). The award of this prize is intended to provide winners with an opportunity to realise extensive investigation projects which could not be realised, or only realised with difficulty, in the generally customary time and cost frame of a newspaper or magazine or of a freelance journalist.
Applications
Applications must contain the following:
-
1 - 2 papers published in 2021 or 2022 in a German-language medium in Switzerland, Austria or Germany, indicating the title of the newspaper/magazine, issue number and date of publication
- Articles from print media: Color scan of an original copy of the relevant newspaper/magazine clipping as a PDF document
- Articles from electronic media: PDF document of the publication in question with indication of the URL
- Brief description of the research background of the previously published work(s) (incl. explanations of the relevance of the topic, etc.; maximum 700 characters)
- Short CV
- Research outline as precise as possible and description of a future research project (including time and cost schedule) to be realized with the help of the research grant (maximum 10,000 characters)
Only complete applications that meet the specifications can be considered.
The deadline for submission of applications is December 31, 2022 (date as postmark).
Jury
- Volker Stollorz (long-standing author of Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung/former board member of Wissenschaftspressekonferenz).
- Prof. Dr. Michael Stürzl (Universitätsklinikum Erlangen).
- Prof. Dr. Sabine Werner (ETH Zurich).
- Prof. Holger Wormer (Chair of Scientific Journalism, University of Dortmund).
- Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Deppert (Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf).
- Prof. Dr. Gerhard Rogler (Universitätsspital Zürich).
- David Hilzendegen (Representative of the data journalism section on the board of the Netzwerk Recherche e.V./data journalist at the SÜDKURIER editorial office in Constance).
In individual cases, the jury may consult further journalists and academics as assessors. The jury will support the award winners in the realisation and timely publication of the investigation project funded by the award together with further mentors of netzwerk recherche.
Announcement and award ceremony
The Peter Hans Hofschneider Investigation Award for Scientific and Medical Journalism is announced in spring/summer every year. The winners will be announced at an academic symposium of Stiftung Experimentelle Biomedizin or on the occasion of the annual meeting of netzwerk recherche in Hamburg.
Background of the award
The award is advertised by Stiftung Experimentelle Biomedizin (Zurich) in honour of Prof. Dr. Dr. Peter Hans Hofschneider (14 February 1929 - 23 July 2004), the former Director of the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, who throughout his life championed not only excellent science but also a critical public debate about possible errors and consequences of scientific research.