The University of St Andrews and independent exploration and production company ConocoPhillips announce the call for entries for The St Andrews Prize for the Environment 2017.

Applications are invited from individuals, multi-disciplinary teams or community groups for this annual prize, which is $100,000 USD for the winner and $25,000 USD for each of the other two finalists.

Anyone wishing to enter the 2017 Prize should complete the online entry form here by 31 October 2016. The shortlisted entries will be invited for a more substantial submission in January 2017. Three submissions will then be selected as finalists and they will be asked to attend a seminar at the University of St Andrews in April 2017. Following presentation of their projects to the Trustees and invited delegates at the seminar, the winner will be selected and announced.

The primary objective of the Prize is to find innovative solutions to environmental challenges. The solutions should be practical, scalable and able to be replicated in other places, combining good science, economic reality and political acceptability. The Prize offers people from all backgrounds around the world the chance to help transform their environmental ideas into reality and also provides a network of connections and support.

A sustainable lighting project, which aims to empower communities without electricity in Brazil by teaching them how to create light sources, won the 2016 Prize. 1.3 billion people in the world and more than 3 million people in Brazil suffer from energy poverty. LITER OF LIGHT is a global open source movement that provides sustainable lighting, free of charge to simple dwellings around the world. The simple device consists of a plastic bottle filled with water and bleach, fitted through the roof of a home to refract sunlight. The device provides the same amount of light as a 55 Watt light bulb and produces zero carbon emissions. The technology can also be upgraded with LED bulbs, solar panels and batteries to provide low-cost lighting at night.

The St Andrews Prize for the Environment is a joint environmental initiative by the University of St Andrews in Scotland, which attracts scholars of international repute and carries out world-class teaching and research, and independent exploration and production company ConocoPhillips. Recognising significant contributions to environmental conservation since its launch in 1998, the Prize has attracted over 4,000 entries from around the world and donated over $1.5 million to environmental initiatives on a wide range of diverse topics including biodiversity, sustainable development, urban re-generation, recycling, health, water and waste issues, renewable energy and community development. The submissions for the Prize are assessed by eminent Trustees from science, industry and government.

Full details about the Prize, and the entry process are available from the website or from the St Andrews Prize for the Environment office at the University of St Andrews on Tel +44 (0)1334 461911.

Official Link: http://www.thestandrewsprize.com/news-articles/2017-st-andrews-prize-opens-for-entries

Deadline: October 31, 2016
Location: University of St Andrews, UK