It is impossible to imagine today’s world without the application of chemistry. But what are going to be the biggest areas of innovation over the next 10 years in which chemical technology is going to play an important role in meeting the needs of the next generation?
As the global leader in decorative and industrial coatings and a leading specialty chemicals company, AkzoNobel is constantly seeking the answers to such questions. We invite you to help us come up with some answers. You could win 10,000 SEK and the chance to visit one of AkzoNobel’s R&D labs if you do.
We believe in sustainable innovations
At AkzoNobel we have a relentless focus in finding Tomorrow's Answers Today through sustainable innovations. The aim of the competition is to stimulate young researchers into thinking about the role that chemistry, chemical engineering and materials science might play in driving sustainable innovations that will meet the needs of society, the environment and consumers over the next 5 to 10 years.
Prizes will be awarded for the best ideas which show the greatest insight into future trends and provide imaginative and realistic ideas in response to the following questions:
- What are going to be the biggest trends and challenges for the development of our society over the next 10 years in which chemistry will have a decisive role to play?
- What new scientific and technological developments will we need to make in the areas of the chemical sciences to realize the trends?
- What are going to be the most important new applications for novel products and process developments which will improve the lives of citizens and what sciences will underpin them?
Specific ideas and insights should be prepared and competition entries should be submitted in PowerPoint format (max. 10 slides) with your name and e-mail address via the entry form on this website no later than June 13, 2013.
All three questions highlighted above should be considered and addressed in the submission.
More information:
Background information
The world is changing rapidly and dramatically. As our society becomes wealthier, we are demanding new and better products. At the same time, we are beginning to realize that our global environment is fragile and that the natural resources that we depend upon are becoming increasingly scarce. We are facing the dilemma of “wanting more, but doing more with less”.
Much of the change we are experiencing is being made possible by scientific discoveries and technological innovations. These innovations are providing new and better products for all of us, improving the way we use precious resources and enabling us to develop better and sustainable ways of making and using them.
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Who is eligible?
- The contest is open to students who are pursuing graduate (masters, PhD, or post-doctoral) research in the chemical sciences or technologies, including chemistry, chemical engineering and material science at an educational institution in Sweden.
- Entries may be submitted by an individual person only.
- Entries by employees of AkzoNobel and their immediate families (residing in the same household) are not eligible.
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How to Enter the Competition
Specific ideas and insights in response to the competition’s theme should be prepared and entries should be created as a PowerPoint presentation and submitted in a PDF format in English (max. 10 slides) with your name and e-mail address no later than June 13, 2013.
Read the competition rules before submission of your entry.
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Key Dates
March 20, 2013
Contest begins
June 13, 2013
All entries must be received, the Contest will be closed and no further entries accepted
July 11, 2013 (on or about)
Five proposed finalists shall be selected
October 1, 2013
Finals of the competition at the AkzoNobel Sweden Science Award event held at IVA in Stockholm
November 28, 2013
The overall competition winner has the opportunity of visiting AkzoNobel’s research facilities located in Stenungsund
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This is what you can win!
There will be souvenirs for all participants and prizes for the finalists and the overall winner.
- Every entrant will receive an AkzoNobel polo shirt as a souvenir of their participation in the competition.
- The five finalists will be invited to the AkzoNobel Sweden Science Award event to be held at the headquarters of IVA in Stockholm on Tuesday, October 1, 2013. AkzoNobel will pay the expenses for return rail or air fare as appropriate, overnight accommodation and a celebratory dinner on the evening before the event.
- Each finalist will be awarded a 1 TB portable hard drive and a certificate.
- The overall competition winner shall also be awarded a prize of 10,000 SEK as well as the opportunity to visit AkzoNobel’s research facilities located in Stenungsund.
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How your entry will be judged
Eligible entries shall be judged by a committee of five qualified individuals selected by Sponsor, based on the following criteria, each of which shall be scored on a point scale as described below:
- Relevance to emerging global trends (14 points)
- Potential value to societal needs (14 points)
- Relevance to chemical industries (14 points)
- Scope for global application (14 points)
- Achievability and practicality (16 points)
- Sustainability (14 points)
- Novelty (14 points)
Five proposed finalists shall be selected on or about July 11, 2013, based on point totals assigned by the judges and shall be contacted by Sponsor by telephone during business hours that day, or as soon as possible thereafter. Each proposed finalist shall execute a declaration and release form, shall indicate their willingness to accept the obligations and prizes of a finalist and their ability to attend the Swedish Science Award event on October 1, 2013, and shall execute documents permitting said finalist’s entry to be publicly displayed and used by Sponsor for promotional purposes. Should any proposed finalist indicate that he, she or they would decline the prize, or refuse to execute the declaration and release, such entrant shall be disqualified and a replacement finalist shall be determined by the judging committee, as described above.
The finalists’ entries shall be converted into posters. Sponsor will provide finalists with a poster template and access to a professional designer (at Sponsor’s expense) to assist in the design and editing of the posters. The posters of the five qualified finalists shall thereafter be printed by Sponsor and displayed and available for voting at the Swedish Science Award event held at IVA in Stockholm on October 1, 2013. Only one vote per person will be accepted during the voting period. Sponsor may disregard votes that it, in its sole discretion, finds to be irregular or improper.
The overall competition winner shall be determined by the judges appointed by the Sponsor, who shall evaluate finalists’ entries in accordance with the following criteria, each to be weighed equally:
- How well they deliver a compelling value proposition on the theme of “Tomorrow’s Answers Today”
- Creativity displayed
- Visual appeal
- The voting results at the Swedish Science Award event
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