The winning scientist will get £500.

The money must be for publicising or communicating the scientist’s research (or research area). This could mean lots of things – visiting schools, putting up a website, printing leaflets, commissioning a poem, painting a mural – any form of science communication.

The money doesn’t necessarily have to be spent on their particular research work; the winning scientist could use it for general science communication… for example, arranging class visits to a laboratory.

The money won’t go to their research because £500 just isn’t enough to make a difference… research is very expensive! But £500 could be enough to make a science communication project happen, when it wouldn’t do otherwise. Because the winner has to spend it on communication, students can be sure they’re making a difference.