Do you know someone who has recently completed a PhD in nuclear science and engineering?
The European Nuclear Society (ENS) organises an annual Award to recognise an outstanding PhD thesis work. The ENS High Scientific Council (HSC) acts as the Selection Committee, and the Nuclear Institute, as the UK Member of the ENS, nominates the UK candidate for this prestigious award.
UK candidates will be assessed by an NI team headed by Professor Laurence G Williams OBE FREng FNucI, a member of the ENS High Scientific Council.
The winner of the UK competition will receive:
- Progression to the European final (further prize details below)
- £1000 prize, sponsored by National Nuclear Laboratory
- Invitation to contribute a technical paper to the Nuclear Future journal
- Invitation to the NI/NIA Annual Dinner in London in December 2025.
The successful candidate will become the UK Nominee for the HSC PhD award. A UK nominee won the award in 2020, with others finishing a close second. The winner of the 2024 competition was Dr Elizabeth Sharp from National Nuclear Laboratory.
UK Nomination Process
- Nominations open from 1 October 2024 with deadline of 31st January 2025.
- Nominations should be sent to Professor Laurence G Williams OBE FREng FNucI via l.williamsobe@bangor.ac.uk and copied to ceo@nuclearinst.com
- The NI will submit a successful UK candidate to the HSC in Spring 2025.
- In April 2025 the ENS HSC will select four shortlisted candidates.
- In Autumn 2025 the four shortlisted candidates will present their PhD thesis’ results to the HSC in Brussels, Belgium. The HSC will apply commonly accepted selection criteria in the selection process.
- The winner of the prestigious ENS HSC PhD Award will be offered a publication in the Open Access Journal EPJ-N and a prize money of €2000. An Award ceremony will be organised in conjunction with an ENS Member Society conference.
Note: candidates are expected to personally attend the audition in Brussels; the NI will support the travel expenses of the UK candidate should he/she make it to the last four.
ENS HSC PhD Award Criteria
- The competition is open for candidates, who have obtained a PhD in the field of nuclear science and engineering from a UK University.
- Only candidates who obtained a PhD degree after April 2023 are eligible for the competition.
Documents to be provided (in English)
- CV, including a contact email and phone number of the candidate.
- A copy of the PhD Diploma/Certificate showing the date it was awarded.
- A recommendation letter from the person who is nominating the candidate. The letter should introduce the PhD work and highlight its significance in the research field, its originality, its importance and the impact of the results of the PhD.
- An extended summary of the PhD thesis.
- A copy of any accepted publication directly related to the candidate’s PhD studies.