ESP Best Ph.D. Thesis Award (Acronym ESP2hD Award)

The European Society for Photobiology launches its first award for PhD thesis in the field of Photobiology.
The recipient will receive the award during the biennial Congress of the European Society for Photobiology.
2023 awardees were: Carla Arnau del Valle, Miriam Izzo

Eligible candidates should have defended their PhD thesis in the period from June 1^st, 2023 to the closing date of this call (to be published beginning of 2025)* and must be ESP Members in good standing.

The application must be accompanied by:

A copy of a document (preferably in English) accrediting the date of defense;
An electronic copy (PDF or electronic link) of the thesis;
A CV and list of publications and patents derived from the thesis;
A summary of the thesis (three pages maximum) highlighting the contribution of the candidate to the area of Photobiology, referencing the corresponding articles or chapters. This description must clearly indicate one of the following areas (see below) as main area of investigation (a secondary area may also be chosen, if justified).

Photodynamic Therapy Photomedicine and Human Photobiology Plant Photobiology Enviromental Photobiology Sensory Photobiology Physical and Chemical Photobiology Industrial Photobiology

Applications should be sent by e-mail to phdprize@photobiology.eu before the deadline communicated at the beginning of 2025* at the latest and mentioning “ESP²hD Award” as subject.

Applications will be examined by a committee appointed by the ETC and approved with an indisputable decision by the Executive Committee. In no case may the person who has directed, co-directed or supervised the doctoral thesis of any of the applications or is a co-author of any of the publications derived from said doctoral thesis be part of the evaluation committee. Persons with financial interest or scientific collaboration, including publications, with applicants during the last 5 years cannot be part of the committee.

The evaluation of the thesis will consider the following aspects:

The relevance of the topic of the doctoral thesis in the development and progress of photobiology;
the quality and number of publications in scientific journals and patents;
participation in national and international conferences,
scientific dissemination activities;
other aspects to be considered by the evaluation committee (attendance to the Photobiology School, and ESP Supplement to the PhD Degree among others).

* Career breaks (caring responsibilities or personal circumstances e.g. a period of parental/adoption leave, family commitments, illness, or other exceptional circumstances) will be taken into consideration.