Medal nomination guidance

Learn about the background, criteria, nomination process, and how to write a good proposal for the RSE’s prestigious medals to recognise outstanding achievements.

The Medals are the most prestigious prizes awarded by the RSE. Candidates, who are nominated by Fellows, should be individuals or groups with exceptional contributions and achievements to their field. Below are some aspects which contribute to a good medal nomination:

1. A clear indication of the nominee’s excellence

This can be exemplified by their achievements, including qualifications, expertise, publications, collaborations, funding, fellowships, prizes and other types of recognition. The information will enable reviewers to assess the nominees’ track records and consider their career stage.

2. Efforts in knowledge transfer and collaborations

Recipients of the RSE Medals should demonstrate how they make knowledge useful. This is particularly relevant in disseminating their research insights from academia to policy, business, or society. This includes but is not limited to the general public, policymakers, local communities, businesses, and non-government organisations.

3. Evidence of the rigour, originality, and impact of their works

These are crucial elements of a quality nomination – regardless of their career stage, it is vital that your nominee’s work is innovative and impactful for their field, the Scottish society and beyond.

4. Potential of early career medal nominees

The establishment of early career medals conveys that it is not always the case for nominees to have a solid international standing in their field; reviewers are also keen to learn about the potential of early career candidates in the assessment and whether their current work is likely to be amplified to a broader scale in the future.

5. Clear and critical assessment from referees

The two submitted references should endorse the candidate’s national and/or international standing in their field as well as the impact and relevance of their work in academia and more broadly. Referees should give a clear and critical analysis of the candidate’s profile; a highly scored reference without concrete evidence may not be as strong.

6. Connection to Scotland

A good nomination should outline the candidate’s connection to Scotland, which could be demonstrated in various ways. The connection to Scotland is usually illustrated by one’s birthplace, education, workplace, development of collaborative networks in Scotland and achievements benefiting Scotland. Please be assured that this is not an exclusive list; the review panel will consider candidates’ strengths of connections and contributions to Scotland on a case-by-case basis.

7. Emphasis on the group work for Mary Somerville Medal nominations

As a Medal recognising excellent teamwork and collaborative endeavour, reviewers would like to see clear evidence of strong collaboration with impactful outcomes. For the Mary Somerville Medal, a team is nominated rather than an individual; collaborative work must be the focus of the nomination. The team representative is expected to take on a role as a contact person for the RSE to communicate updates and outcomes of the nomination.

The RSE awards the following categories of medals. Each recognises significant academic achievement, innovation, impact, and public engagement.

  1. Early career medals (across all disciplines)
  2. Established researchers’ medals (across all disciplines)
  3. Collaborative medal (across all disciplines and career stages)
  4. President’s medal (across all disciplines and career stages; nominated by the President of the RSE)
  5. The Royal medals (not currently open for nominations)

Mary Somerville Medal – recognising teamwork and collaborative endeavour within Scottish HEIs, between Scottish HEIs and other institutions, organisations or businesses, and within other institutions nationally and/or internationally. No distinction is made between Early Career and Established Researchers.

The RSE President’s Medal is within the gift of the President of the RSE and is normally awarded once per three-year presidential term to recognise excellence and outstanding achievement in any branch of Scottish life, letters, and public service outwith the Academy. No distinction is made between early career and established researchers.

Please send all nominations and updates by the deadline shown on the website via the RSE members’ portal. Enquiries should be sent to medals@theRSE.org.uk

  1. New nominations
    • New nominations are invited from Fellows of the RSE and Vice Chancellors (or equivalent) at Scottish Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) using the Nomination Form provided through the RSE members portal. Vice Chancellors (or equivalent) of Scottish HEIs are allowed to make up to two nominations per round; there is no maximum limit to the number of nominations an FRSE can make per round.
    • A two-page CV of the nominee is required. NB: Longer CVs will not be accepted. CVs are not required for the Mary Somerville Medal.
    • A short (two-page) publication list is required, highlighting the most recent publications or other outputs and/or those most relevant to the award of a medal. Where the emphasis in the nomination rests upon public engagement (the Adam Smith and the June Almeida medals), please provide appropriate evidence (e.g. details of public engagement activities undertaken and actual/prospective impact).
    • Please submit the nomination form, publication/output list (or equivalent) and two-page CV through the RSE members portal by the indicated deadline.
    • Two written references are required as part of the nomination. Both referees must be from different institutions from the nominee for established researcher’s medals, and at least one referee should be from an institution other than that of the nominee for early career medals.
    • It is vital that sufficient information is provided for reasoned judgments to be made. Please also provide a one-page supporting statement, which should include the following:
      • Evidence of the candidate’s standing in their field
      • Major projects undertaken
      • Transformational impact and outcomes/contribution to wider society
      • Innovative techniques used
      • The significance and reach of any public engagement (especially relevant for the Adam Smith and the June Almeida medals)
      • Potential for further work in the field (especially relevant for the Early Career Medals)
      • Efforts in knowledge transfer and dissemination of the candidate’s work
      • The candidate’s connection to Scotland. The connection to Scotland is usually illustrated by one’s birthplace, education, workplace, development of collaborative networks in Scotland and achievements benefiting Scotland. This is not an exclusive list; the review panel will consider candidates’ strengths of connections and contributions to Scotland on a case-by-case basis.
    • New nominations and updates for those nominated in the previous two rounds will be accepted. Please note that the “case made by the proposer” has a weighting of 25% in the selection process, so it is important that updates are provided.
    • Applicants nominated in previous rounds: Nominations will be considered for three years, after which a new nomination will be required. A member of the RSE Awards team will contact the nominator to ask for updates, which will be added to the nomination form.
  2. Eligibility Criteria
    • Early Career Medal recipient:
      • Will demonstrate a strong track record through publication or other outputs, public engagement, or business activities
      • Will be a candidate within ten years of their PhD or within thirteen years of first graduation, if they are outwith academia, who lives and works some, or all, of the time in Scotland (at least three months per year). [Consideration will be made for periods of maternity/paternity/adoption leave of up to 18 months per child. Periods of leave for other reasons will also be taken into consideration. Part-time working will be taken into consideration on a pro-rata basis.]
      • Will demonstrate originality, significance, and rigour in their work
      • May or may not be a Fellow of the RSE or a Member of the Young Academy of Scotland
      • Have strong future career prospects/is a potential high-flyer
    • Established Researchers Medal recipient:
      • Will demonstrate a sustained and high-quality track record of academic achievement or business success throughout/in Scotland in their field
      • Will have an outstanding national and international reputation
      • Will be of high standing in their discipline or field(s) of endeavour
      • May or may not be a Fellow of the RSE
      • Will have made a significant contribution to wider society (e.g. by the accessible dissemination of research or the delivery of a product or service)
      • Must be able to attract a wide audience as an effective communicator.
    • Exclusion from making nominations: The following are excluded from making nominations and from being nominated:
      • Current RSE Council Members
      • Medals Committee members
      • RSE staff
  3. Other information
    • The situation may present itself where the Medals Committee agrees that a candidate may be a better fit for a different RSE Medal than the one they are nominated for. In this case, the RSE reserves the right to resubmit the candidate in the appropriate category.
  4. All Nominations
    • Nominations can only be made by Fellows of the RSE and Vice Chancellors (or equivalent) at Scottish HEIs
    • A Fellow can make multiple nominations in any one year
    • Nomination forms can be accessed through the RSE members portal
    • Electronic forms should be submitted with electronic signatures where possible
    • Sufficient information must be provided for reasoned judgments to be made
    • It is the nominator’s responsibility to provide adequate information on the form
    • It is the nominator’s responsibility to ensure that referees submit their confidential report on this form directly to medals@theRSE.org.uk by the deadline. Please note that it is the nominator’s responsibility to provide referees with the form, as this will not be sent by the RSE automatically upon submission.
    • Incomplete forms will not be considered