Selection process
After the nomination or application deadline, the awards jury, made up of an international group of eminent experts, will begins the selection process.
The jury reserves the right to invite external reviewers in individual cases. Jury members sit in a personal capacity. The jury will select a shortlist on the basis of the criteria listed below.
→ view flowchart of the selection process
The Einstein Foundation's Executive Board approves the shortlist based on publicly available background information, ensuring that the candidates meet the general guidelines for research ethics, and that potential awardees will foster the reputation of the Einstein Foundation and the award, and its ability to credibly promote and represent the science community.
For the early career award, projects will be competitively selected for funding and internationally showcased. The laureates will be invited to attend the award ceremony to give a presentation on their achievements and receive their award. Prizes will be awarded for specific achievements or innovative ideas. The decision will be final and not open to appeal. Re-nominations and re-applications are welcome.
The following criteria may serve as a basis for the jury’s decision
Criteria for Individuals, Organizations, and Institutions
- Impact – have the candidate’s accomplishments fostered the quality, reliability, and value of research in their field in an outstanding manner?
- Innovation – has the candidate developed and/or implemented quality-improving interventions, governance, and policies, identified opportunities to improve research, or developed innovative approaches to research on research quality?
- Implementation – has the candidate successfully implemented quality-improving interventions, governance, and policies?
- Validity – has the candidate conducted and designed novel tools to prevent misconduct and safeguard validity and reliability in research?
- Diversity – has the candidate significantly developed and/or promoted the diversity of research by taking into view aspects such as gender, race/ethnicity, geography, career stage, etc.?
- Integrity – has the candidate demonstrated exceptional integrity in the face of pressure resulting from difficult circumstances or special interests?
- Originality – does the candidate contribute to the integrity, quality, reliability, and value of research in a novel or unprecedented manner?
Criteria for Early Career Researchers
- Innovation – will the proposed project improve the integrity, quality, reliability, and value of research, or improve research on research integrity?
- Validity – will the proposed project help to prevent misconduct and safeguard validity and reliability in research?
- Originality – is the proposed project genuinely novel? Has the applicant evaluated other existing or alternative approaches, or distinguished their approach from existing practices (if applicable)?
- Feasibility – does the applicant or team have the required skills and resources?