The European Geosciences Union (EGU) is opening applications to EGU Public Engagement Grants, which aim to celebrate and recognise excellent science communication in the Earth, planetary and space sciences. The grants, an initiative of the EGU Outreach Committee, are awarded to EGU members interested in developing an outreach project that aims to raise awareness of geosciences outside the scientific community. Two applicants who are judged to have proposed the most innovative and effective project will each be awarded a grant of €1000 to help further develop the idea and put it into practice. They will also receive a free registration to the EGU 2019 General Assembly, where they will have the opportunity to present on their winning projects. The deadline for applications is 15 February.

There are no restrictions on the format of the applicant’s project or proposed activity. If you have an idea for a comic, podcast, documentary, set of experiments, or some other form of effective science communication that you want to promote, then please fill in the online application form and let us know why your project deserves to be funded.

We particularly encourage applications for projects aimed at engaging with hard-to-reach audiences, i.e., people or communities who are not generally interested in science or who tend to ignore mainstream scientific expertise.

Applications for the two EGU Public Engagement Grants are open from 15 November 2017 until 15 February 2018. All proposals will be evaluated by April 2018, with the winners being notified during the EGU General Assembly in Vienna and by email.

Please note that only active EGU members, who either have a regular, student, emeritus or complementary membership for 2017 or 2018, or who are life or honorary members of the EGU, are eligible to apply for the grants. To become a member or renew your membership please check http://www.egu.eu/membership/. You are also encouraged to register to attend the forthcoming EGU General Assembly, where the grant winners will be announced.

The grants are for a period of 12 months and are awarded in full in April 2018. After six months the winners are expected to submit an interim report on their projects, which will be evaluated by the EGU Outreach Committee. At this stage, the winners can request further (non-financial) help from the EGU, such as assistance in liaising with scientists or in further advertising their products. Winners are also expected to submit a final report at the end of the grant. Once winners complete their projects, they will be given the opportunity to present on their public-engagement work at the EGU General Assembly, with the EGU waiving the conference registration fee.

The EGU will not claim revenues from products resulting from the project, but should be given full access to these products for further dissemination via its communication channels. Further, the winners should make clear when using their products that they were supported through a Public Engagement Grant from the European Geosciences Union.

To apply for the grant, please use the application form at http://www.egu.eu/user-area/peg/.

• Application form (you will need to login with your EGU/Copernicus ID)
• EGU 2017 Public Engagement Grants awarded to Martin Archer and Tero Mielonen