FunMat Paper Award for materials science research at the University of Innsbruck

Early career researchers (PhD and PostDoc) from all faculties of the University of Innsbruck.

The application is made jointly by several junior researchers who are co-authors of the publication, in agreement with the other authors, in particular the research group leaders. In exceptional cases, the prize may be awarded to a single researcher if they belong to two research groups in equal parts (e.g. co-supervised PhD).

At the time of the deadline, the doctorate must not have been awarded more than five years ago. Child-rearing periods (two years for each child cared for), care periods (usually care leave) and longer periods of serious illness that have led to a career interruption are taken into account.

The FunMat Paper Award can only be awarded once to the same person. Future publications by the award winners can be submitted, if other persons on the list of authors are to be honoured.

An outstanding original paper published or accepted for publication in a recognised scientific journal, which has a clear content and methodological reference to materials science and in which at least two independent research groups of the University of Innsbruck were involved. Publications from 2024 and 2025 are accepted (publication or acceptance date respectively).

• At least two research group leaders of the University of Innsbruck must be listed as authors of the publication: a research group leader is defined as a habilitated scientist or non-habilitated scientist with own funding to finance employees.
• The publication must be recorded in the FLD and assigned to the FSP FunMat.
• If the FunMat Prize is announced again in 2026, the publication may not be submitted a second time.

Please note that scientific work that has already been honoured by the University of Innsbruck will not be awarded a prize a second time. This applies especially to the following prizes: Prize of the Principality of Liechtenstein for scientific research at the University of Innsbruck and the Medical University of Innsbruck and the Best Student Paper Award.

The application documents can be submitted in German or English.

The deadline for submission is 15 September 2025.

The following documents must be sent in PDF format by email to petra.engele@uibk.ac.at.

If you do not receive a confirmation of receipt within three working days, please check whether the e-mail has been received.

• Application form, including the distribution how the prize will be shared among the co-applicants. download
• Nomination by one of the research group leaders, each research group leader may only nominate one publication per year.
• Explanation of the collaboration and the contributions of the each group (maximum 1 page).
• Study sheet and confirmation of study period for PhD students (not older than 14 days), doctoral certificate for PostDocs. LFU:online
• Informal declaration of consent from the co-authors
• Symbol image or icon used to link the publication on the FunMat website.
• Web link to the publication (or PDF if not open access). For unpublished articles: Article and publisher's promise of publication.

Formal criteria

a) Are the application documents complete?

b) Does the submission adhere to the formal requirements (length of abstract, etc.)?

Content criteria

a) Extent of co-operation (were only measurements carried out or did the work result from a joint concept?), number of groups involved.

b) Excellence of the work

c) Relevance of the topic in the context of the research focus Functional Materials Science.

The decision is based on the ranking of a jury of experts.

The next tender is expected to take place in 2026.