Appendix 1: Boyle Medal Regulations

1. That with a view of encouraging work in the different branches of Science the Council be recommended to institute two Gold Medals.

2. That one of these Gold Medals be awarded for work of exceptional merit in the domain of pure science, and that the second medal be awarded for work of exceptional merit in the application of Science to the Arts, Industry and Agriculture.

1896 (These proposals does not appear to have been submitted to the Council.)

1. That one of these medals be awarded for research of exceptional merit in the domain of pure science; and that the second medal be reserved for work of exceptional merit in the applications of Science to the Arts, Industries and Agriculture. In each case the results must have been in the first instance communicated to the Royal Dublin Society.

2. That whilst no more than two medals be awarded in any one year, neither one nor the other be awarded unless the adjudicators consider that the award is justified by the character of the work.

3. That no Honorary Officer of the Society be eligible for the award.

4. That in November each year the Science Committee shall consider whether in the course of that year, or any previous year any piece of work has been submitted to the Society of sufficient merit to justify an award and should advise the Council accordingly.

1911 Regulation 3 deleted

1. That one of these medals be awarded for research of exceptional merit in the domain of pure science; and that the second medal be reserved for work of exceptional merit in the applications of Science to the Arts, Industries and Agriculture. In each case the results must have been in the first instance communicated to the Royal Dublin Society.

2. That whilst no more than two medals be awarded in any one year, neither one nor the other be awarded unless the adjudicators consider that the award is justified by the character of the work.

3. That in November each year the Science Committee shall consider whether in the course of that year, or any previous year any piece of work has been submitted to the Society of sufficient merit to justify an award and should advise the Council accordingly.

1916 Regulation No. 3 amended

1. That one of these medals be awarded for research of exceptional merit in the domain of pure science; and that the second medal be reserved for work of exceptional merit in the applications of Science to the Arts, Industries and Agriculture. In each case the results must have been in the first instance communicated to the Royal Dublin Society.

2. That whilst no more than two medals be awarded in any one year, neither one nor the other be awarded unless the adjudicators consider that the award is justified by the character of the work.

3. That in November each year the Honorary Officers shall consider whether in the course of that year, or any previous year any piece of work has been submitted to the Society of sufficient merit to justify an award and should advise the Science Committee and the Council accordingly .

1919 Regulation No. 3 amended

1. That one of these medals be awarded for research of exceptional merit in the domain of pure science; and that the second medal be reserved for work of exceptional merit in the applications of Science to the Arts, Industries and Agriculture. In each case the results must have been in the first instance communicated to the Royal Dublin Society.

2. That whilst no more than two medals be awarded in any one year, neither one nor the other be awarded unless the adjudicators consider that the award is justified by the character of the work.

3. That in November each year the Boyle Medallists shall consider whether in the course of that year, or any previous year any piece of work has been submitted to the Society of sufficient merit to justify an award and should advise the Science Committee and the Council accordingly.

1936

1. That the Boyle Medal be awarded for research of exceptional merit, the results of which have been communicated to the Royal Dublin Society. The work may be in the domain of pure science, or in the application of science to the Arts, Industry or Agriculture.

2. That not more than two awards of the Boyle Medal, on in Pure Science and one in Applied Science may be made in any one year.

3. That the adjudicators to make recommendations for the Boyle Medal shall be the Boyle Medallists who are members of the Society. They shall have power to co-opt additional members from the Society for any specific occasion and seek external advice.

4. That the adjudicators shall meet in the November of at least every third year to make a report to the Science Committee on the award of the Boyle Medal. It shall be the duty of the adjudicators to advise when an award should be made, and to whom, and in making their report they should draw up an account of the work on which the recommendation of an award of the Boyle Medal is based.

5. That in the event of an award of the Boyle Medal being made the report of the adjudicators recommending the award shall be printed in the Proceedings of the Society.

1965

1. That the Boyle Medal shall be awarded for research of exceptional merit carried out in Ireland. The work may be in the domain of pure science, or in the application of science to the Arts, Industry or Agriculture.

2. That not more than two awards of the Boyle Medal, on in Pure Science and one in Applied Science may be made in any one year.

3. That the adjudicators to make recommendations for the Boyle Medal shall be the Boyle Medallists who are members of the Society. They shall have power to co-opt additional members from the Society for any specific occasion and seek external advice.

4. That the adjudicators shall meet in the November of at least every third year to make a report to the Science Committee on the award of the Boyle Medal. It shall be the duty of the adjudicators to advise when an award should be made, and to whom, and in making their report they should draw up an account of the work on which the recommendation of an award of the Boyle Medal is based.

5. That it shall be a condition governing the award that the recipient deliver to the Society a lecture to be called the "Boyle Lecture", the lecture to survey the field of work for which the award is being made and that an honorarium be paid for the lecture.

6. That the lecture be published in the Proceedings of the Society. together with the report of the adjudicators recommending the award.

1968

1. That the Boyle Medal shall be awarded for research of exceptional merit carried out in Ireland. The work may be in the domain of pure science, or in the application of science to the Arts, Industry or Agriculture.

2. That not more than two awards of the Boyle Medal, on in Pure Science and one in Applied Science may be made in any one year.

3. That the adjudicators to make recommendations for the award of Boyle Medal shall be the Boyle Medallists. They shall co-opt additional members from the Society for any specific occasion to assist in the adjudication , and may also seek external advice.

4. That the adjudicators shall meet in the November of at least every third year to make a report to the Science Committee on the award of the Boyle Medal. It shall be the duty of the adjudicators to advise when an award should be made, and to whom, and in making their report they should draw up an account of the work on which the recommendation of an award of the Boyle Medal is based.

5. That it shall be a condition governing the award that the recipient deliver to the Society a lecture to be called the Boyle Lecture, the lecture to survey the field of work for which the award is being made and that an honorarium be paid for the lecture.

6. That the lecture be published in the Proceedings of the Society. together with the report of the adjudicators recommending the award.

1981

1. That the Boyle Medal shall be awarded for research of exceptional merit carried out in Ireland.

2. That not more than one award of the Boyle Medal, one in Pure Science and one in Applied Science may be made in any one year.

3. That the adjudicators to make recommendations for the award of the Boyle Medal shall be the Boyle Medallists They shall co-opt additional members from the Society for any specific occasion to assist in the adjudication and may also seek external advice.

4. That the adjudicators shall meet in the November of at least every third year or more frequently should they deem fit to make a report to the Science Committee on the award of the Boyle Medal. It shall be the duty of the adjudicators to advise when an award should be made, and to whom, and in making their report they should draw up an account of the work on which the recommendation of an award of the Boyle Medal is based.

5. That it shall be a condition governing the award that the recipient deliver to the Society a lecture to be called the "Boyle Lecture", the lecture to survey the field of work for which the award is being made and that an honorarium be paid for the lecture.

6. That the Boyle Medal Lecture and the report of the adjudicators recommending the award be published by the Society.

THE BOYLE MEDAL: CURRENT REGULATIONS

1. The Boyle Medal shall be awarded for research of exceptional merit in any field of science carried out in Ireland.

2. Not more than one award of the Boyle Medal may be made in any one year.

3. The adjudicators to make recommendations for the award of the Boyle Medal shall be the Boyle Medallists. They may co-opt additional members of the Society for any specific occasion to assist in the adjudication and may also seek external advice.

4. Members of the Science Committee of the Society may, in confidence, put forward suggested names - together with some relevant information - of persons they feel should be considered by the Boyle Medallists for the award of the Boyle Medal, to the Science Officer, who shall pass this information on to the adjudicators. The adjudicators are in no way bound to recommend any name so proposed for the Award, and shall maintain their absolute discretion to recommend that the Award be granted to any person suitably qualified whether suggested by members of the Science Committee or not.

5. The adjudicators shall meet at least once in each year, but need not recommend an award at any particular meeting. It shall be the duty of the adjudicators to advise when an award should be made and to whom and, in making their report, they shall draw up an account of the work on which the recommendation of the award of the Boyle Medal is based.

6. The Science Officer of the Society shall convene meetings of the adjudicators to accord with regulation number five and shall report to the Science Committee and Council on their recommendations.

7. It shall be a condition governing the award that the recipient deliver to the Society a lecture to be called the "Boyle Medal Lecture", in which the Medallist will survey the field of work for which the award is being made.

8. The Boyle Medal, and the report of the adjudicators recommending the award, shall be published by the Society.

THE BOYLE MEDAL REGULATIONS

1. The award, to be called the "Boyle Medal - an award for scientific excellence", will be a joint venture between the Royal Dublin Society and the Irish Times, awarded biennially, for scientific research of exceptional merit, alternatively to a researcher based in Ireland (cash prize to fund a PhD student) and to an Irish researcher based abroad (no cash prize). Award to be judged by an international panel.

2. The scientist should be nominated by the President/Head of College/Head of Faculty/Research Institute/Company/Professional Organisation.

3. A three page (A4) application must be accompanied by a written nomination from the appropriate person. The first page of the application should be a CV (e.g. outlining who the applicant is, background, experience, recognitions and awards, etc.). The second page should be a description of the applicant's research and the reasons why they should be considered a worthy applicant (whose scientific research should be of a world-class standard in any discipline) and the reasons why they should be considered. The third page should be an appendix detailing publications in peer-reviewed journals.

4. Initial screening will be carried out by a panel composing of a Chairman, a representative of both the Royal Dublin Society and the Irish Times and seven others. The Royal Dublin Society/Irish Times judges should represent the organisations on an impartial basis. The other judges should be Irish if possible and consist of one from each of the following groups:

(i) Agricultural, Forestry, Food and Fisheries Sciences
(ii) Life Sciences (Biological, Medical and Veterinary)
(iii) Chemical, Biochemical and Materials Sciences
(iv) Engineering and Computer Sciences
(v) Economic and Social Sciences
(vi) Geological and Environmental Sciences
(vii) Mathematical and Physical Sciences

Judges to be selected after the applications are received (to avoid the possibility that a judge would be appointed who would want subsequently to apply for the award). The judges should represent the whole of Ireland and should include both male and female. The previous Boyle Medallist should be included if suitable.

5. The applications will be circulated to each of the judging panel and five finalists will be selected by the judging panel at a meeting at the Royal Dublin Society.

6. The final International judging panel headed by a Nobel Laureate; judging panel will consist of five members. The composition of the International judging panel will be as follows:

A new Chairman (international scientist) - Nobel Laureate
The Chairman of the original judging panel
Three others (one foreign scientist and two Irish scientists)

Final judging will include an interview of each of the five finalists by the judging panel after consideration of the applications. Non-voting representatives of the Royal Dublin Society and the Irish Times may be present at the interviews as observers only. The judges' decision is final and no correspondence of any kind will be entered into.

7. The Royal Dublin Society and the Irish Times reserve the right to alter the rules and conditions as they deem necessary.

Copyright (c) Roy Johnston. Web version re-edited June 1999; further editing for printed publication is not excluded.

Some navigational notes: