Dr. Robert M. Panoff Student Award for Explorations in Science Through Computation
The online application is available here. Please send any questions to awards@sc-education.org.
Description
Dr. Robert M. Panoff, founder and Executive Director of The Shodor Education Foundation, Inc., has been steadfast in the promotion and support of science education through computation. The Robert M. Panoff Student Award For Explorations in Science Through Computation award program promotes excellence in student-driven explorations in science made possible through the use of computation. This program is intended to encourage science exploration at all academic levels and to recognize students that have woven insight and discovery together through the use of computation modeling, simulation, and/or data analysis.
Categories
One Robert M. Panoff award will be given in each of the following categories:
- Outstanding High School Student submission
- Outstanding Undergraduate Student submission
- Outstanding Graduate Student submission
Top candidates from the written submissions in each category will be invited to the SC conference as part of the presentation criteria. Candidates will present their scientific discoveries at a special open session of the yearly SC conference to an audience of their peers and the award judges.
Selection Criteria
Submissions will be judged on written and presentation components. The written component should describe the student's scientific discovery, combining both insight and technology. The judging criterion for the written component is an evaluation of
- Scientific insight
- Use of technology
- The extent to which the insight and technology enabled scientific discovery which would not otherwise have been possible
- Innovation
- Quality of submitted materials
Award
The Dr. Robert M. Panoff Award for Explorations in Science Through Computation will consist of the following:
- Travel expenses to SC08 will be provided to the top candidates in each category who are invited to present during the special session.
- An award certificate will be given to the top finalists in each category.
- Winners in each category will be offered a paid summer internship at the Shodor Education Foundation.
- Pending final award sponsorship, it is anticipated that winners in each category will receive sponsor-supported computational resources.
Submission Guidelines
Written submissions, limited to 12 pages in length including citations, may be uploaded beginning January 1st. Completed submissions are due August 1, through the electronic submission system.
Upon receipt, applications become the property of the SC08 Education Committee. Applications will not be returned to applicants. The SC08 Education Committee reserves the right to award as many or as few awards as warranted by the quality of the applications.
Examples of written submissions include
- A solution to a science, engineering, or mathematics problem
- A model developed to help students or scientists to solve a scientific problem
- Activities developed that students might use to better learn science skills
- Science insight derived as the result of using modeling, data mining, or visualization tools
Written submissions consist of a short (1/2-page at most) abstract, a background section that presents the background for the science of the exploration, a computational scope section that describes the role of computational tools, and an impact section describing the scientific exploration and computation in greater detail. Supplemental online resources may be referenced as part of the written submission, and will be used in evaluating the submission at the judges' discretion.
