Erwin Felix Lewy Bertaut Prize of the European Crystallographic
and Neutron Scattering Association (ECA-ENSA)

Awardees and call for nominations

The European Crystallographic Association (ECA) and the European Neutron Scattering Association (ENSA) awards a prize in memory of the scientific achievements of the late Erwin Felix Lewy Bertaut, which are cornerstones in both crystallography and neutron scattering.

It is awarded to a young scientist having a clear affiliation with the ECA/ENSA region (up to 5-8 years after finishing PhD-thesis) and an individual member of ECA/ENSA, in recognition of notable experimental theoretical or methodological contributions in the field of investigation of matter using crystallographic or neutron scattering methods.

ECA and ENSA will award the prize in a regular alternating sequence, or as specified by the two organisations based on mutual agreement.

ECA and ENSA appoint a Selection Committee for the evaluation of the quality of the candidates and the recipient of the prize. Membership in the Selection Committee is obtained by invitation extended jointly by ECA and ENSA executives, with a delegate of each executive (acting as chair and deputy chair for the committee) representing the Associations. The chair and deputy chair appoints another five members to the Selection Committee. The committee is chaired by the representative of the association which organizes the prize ceremony for that specific year.

The chairperson of the Selection Committee issues a call for nominations approximately eight months before the prize is awarded.

Nominations for the prize may be submitted by European scientists as individuals (self-nomination excluded) or on behalf of a group. Nominators may be (i) an ECA/ENSA individual Member or (ii) any person from a national member of ECA/ENSA or (iii) any Corporate Associate Member (CAM). The nominator must ensure a signed acceptance of the nomination by the nominee.

Nominations should include the motivation for the award, a brief curriculum vitae of the nominee and a short list of major publications. Letters of support from authorities in the field are accepted.

Nominations for the prize will be treated in confidence and although they will be acknowledged there will be no further communication.

Nominations close approximately four months before the award is made.

The nominations for the prize will be evaluated by the Selection Committee specified above. The committee considers the candidates, select the winning candidate by a clear majority, and forward the name of the successful Bertaut Prize candidate to the president of the association that organizes the prize ceremony for the specific year, who makes the announcement.

The prize ceremony is organized at European conferences organized by ECA or ENSA. The two Associations will decide on an alternate timing of the venue of the prize ceremony and organize the call for nominations according to their respective schedules of conferences.

The candidate receives the award at the following ECA/ENSA meeting and presents a lecture at this occasion.