Reprint - Introduction to the 2018 China International Science Popularization Competition Competition

In order to build a platform for the exchange of popular science works both at home and abroad, to promote the international exchanges and cooperation in the research, development and creation of popular science works, and to realize the reciprocation and sharing of popular science resources, China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) plans to organize the 2018 China International Contest of Popular Science Works.

I. Contents

The contest includes such four steps as screening of selected topics, solicitation of works, appraisal & selection of works, and reward & display.

(1) Screening of selected Topics

Selected topics will be solicited from such three aspects as basic scientific research, technological innovation, and hot issues in social lives. Through the screening by an expert panel, the selected topics of popular science for the release of this contest will be determined.

(2) Works Solicitation

By centering on the released popular science selected topics, we plan to solicit popular science works from global institutions of higher learning, research institutes, related science institutions and individuals, including three categories in terms of popular science exhibits, photo & articles and micro-videos.

(3)  Appraisal & Selection of Works

Experts will be organized to conduct online appraisal & selection of popular science works submitted for the participation of this contest, and the 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes will be respectively chosen through public appraisal according to three categories of popular science exhibits, photo & articles and micro-videos. Prize-winning popular science works will be put together for display during the 2018 World Conference on Public Science Literacy.

 (4) Reward & Display

With a view to displaying the prize-winning popular science works in the contest and building a communication platform for exchanges of popular science works, we plan to hold the prize-winning works exhibition of 2018 China International Contest of Popular Science Works during the2018 World Conference on Public Science Literacy. Furthermore, awarding ceremony will also be arranged at the closing ceremony, so as to encourage and reward those prize-winning teams or individuals.

II. Organizational Structure

 (1) Sponsor

China Association for Science and Technology (CAST)

 (2) Organizers

China Science and Technology Museum (CSTM), Foundation for the Development of Science and Technology Museums in China (FDSTMC), China Association of Natural Science Museums (CANSM)

III. Time Schedule

January 2018: To release the information for the solicitation of popular science selected topics, and determine the list of selected topics by screening.

February 2018: To hold a press conference, and start the solicitation for popular science works.

March to April 2018: To solicit popular science works throughout the world.

May 2018: To appraise and select the contestants' design schemes of popular science exhibits, choose the 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes through public appraisal, and start the production and transportation of popular science exhibits.

June 2018: To appraise and select the contestants' popular science photo & articles and micro-videos.

September 2018: To hold the prize-winning works exhibition and prize-giving ceremony of the 2018 China International Contest of Popular Science Works.

IV. Related Requirements

1. All steps, including the screening of selected topics for contest, solicitation of works, and appraisal & selection of works, shall all be carried out online. To ensure that the selected topics for participation in the solicitation and the scores of contestants' popular science works are not affected, the participating organizations or individuals must strictly follow the relevant requirements.

2. The authorship of participating works shall be owned by the original design units and individuals, while the exhibition rights, reproduction rights, translation rights, rights of showing and broadcasting shall be owned by the sponsor.

3. The prize-winning photo & articles and micro-videos shall be directly exhibited by the organizing committee. For prize-winning popular science exhibits from abroad, the organizing committee shall provide the round-trip transportation costs for physical exhibits. For those exhibits that are difficult to be transported from abroad, as long as their extent of difficulties in terms of production is controllable and their fabrication cycle manageable, the contestant can provide the organizing committee with exhibits-related design drawings, and the organizing committee shall be responsible for their production in China. In this case, the ownership of exhibits shall belong to the sponsor, while the authorship shall belong to the contestants. For domestic popular science exhibits, contestants shall be responsible for the production and transportation of their physical exhibits.

4. All prize-winning popular science exhibits must be physically displayed at the prize-winning works exhibition of the 2018 China International Contest of Popular Science Works. Otherwise, their prize-winning qualification will be canceled.

5. The organizing committee shall provide the travel and accommodation costs for 1 (one) of the authors corresponding to each prize-winning works to participate in the 2018 World Conference on Public Science Literacy.

6. All matters not covered in this announcement will be announced later.