Challenges 2020 - Lay Science Writing Competition now open!

The 2020 Canadian Blood Services’ Lay Science Writing Competition has launched and is open for submissions until Dec. 15, 2020.  

This year, we’re asking trainees to test their plain writing skills and use clear language to send submissions under the theme “Challenges 2020”. The theme is open to interpretation, but submissions could include stories about challenges in the trainee’s own research, challenges in conducting or communicating research, challenges faced by a trainee’s field of research, or, more broadly, challenges facing science, research, education and communication in 2020. Submissions will be judged on their relevance to the theme, their use of clear and accessible language, and on their use of narrative techniques to tell a compelling, original story.  

We’re delighted to once again partner with the Centre for Blood Research at the University of British Columbia to host this competition. As with past competitions, the Lay Science Writing Competition is open to research trainees in the broad Canadian Blood Services research network, which includes trainees directly funded by Canadian Blood Services and those training in laboratories that receive funding from Canadian Blood Services. The competition is also open to trainees at UBC’s Centre for Blood Research and the UBC School of Biomedical Engineering. For more details about the eligibility criteria, read the competition Guidelines.  

The winning writer will receive a $300 prize and the two runners-up will each receive a $100 prize. Selected entries will be disseminated through Canadian Blood Services’ and the Centre for Blood Research’s online platforms and social media channels. 

Please note, the work must be original and not previously published. Click here to access the Competition guidelines and the Application Form. If you have questions, please contact the Centre for Innovation by email at centreforinnovation@blood.ca  

The very best of luck! 

Canadian Blood Services – Driving world-class innovation

Through discovery, development and applied research, Canadian Blood Services drives world-class innovation in blood transfusion, cellular therapy and transplantation—bringing clarity and insight to an increasingly complex healthcare future. Our dedicated research team and extended network of partners engage in exploratory and applied research to create new knowledge, inform and enhance best practices, contribute to the development of new services and technologies, and build capacity through training and collaboration. Find out more about our research impact. 

The opinions reflected in this post are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Canadian Blood Services nor do they reflect the views of Health Canada or any other funding agency.