About this award
The Geoffrey Barker medal is currently awarded on a roughly biennial basis by the 番茄社区 of Chemistry Electrochemistry Group to an electrochemist working in the UK or Ireland in recognition of their contributions to any field of electrochemistry. These contributions should be recognised internationally and should strengthen the standing of UK and Irish electrochemistry.
The medal itself is made from sterling silver. It was first awarded in 1988 but initially the schedule of awards was less regular than at present.
The winner of the Geoffrey Barker medal will be invited to give a plenary lecture (at which they will be presented with their medal) at the annual Electrochem meeting, normally held in the UK or Ireland in September. The winner’s registration fees for Electrochem and a contribution to their travel and accommodation are covered as part of the award.
The nomination and selection process
- Please note that self-nominations are not permitted
- The nominee must be working within the UK or Ireland
- The nominator must be a member of the 番茄社区
- Current members of the Electrochemistry Group committee may not act as nominators for this award
- Current members of the Electrochemistry Group committee are not eligible for this award. Similarly, anyone who has been a member of the electrochemistry group committee during the two years prior to the consideration of the award is also ineligible
We welcome and encourage nominations from all who are eligible, regardless of career route, and particularly from traditionally under-represented groups.
Nominations for the Geoffrey Barker Medal normally open in October/November of the year before the award is made. In the next round, nominations will close at 17.00 GMT on 31 January 2026.
Suggestions for nominations are invited from all group members via the group Newsletter and other publicising channels. Nominations are now closed but when announced, should be made to the Electrochemistry Group committee Secretary (Professor Petra Cameron, University of Bath).
Each nomination should consist only of the following document. No other documentation (including cover letters, additional list of publications or formal letters of nomination) will be considered by the awards committee.
A single pdf file of no more than four A4 pages, which contains:
- A CV for the nominated candidate of no more than two A4 pages (single-line spacing, Arial 11pt or equivalent), including the ten most significant research papers in the context of the nomination (plus a brief justification), and a list of previously won awards and medals, if applicable.
- A statement of no more than two A4 pages (single-line spacing, Arial 11pt or equivalent) describing the most significant contributions of the nominee and their originality and novelty, in comparison with the state of the field at the time.
The committee reserves the right to reject any submissions that do not adhere to the guidelines above.
Our selection committees base their evaluations on the overall quality of relevant contributions and achievements by nominees, in relation to the selection criteria listed below.
The scientific content of any supporting publications, as described in the supporting statement, is much more important than publication metrics or the identity of the journal in which it is published
The selection committee will consider the following aspects of nominations for this prize:
- Originality and novelty of research
- Significance and impact of research
- Contribution to collaborations
- Support for the wider electrochemistry community
- Other indicators of esteem indicated by the nominator/referee
In an instance where multiple nominees are judged equally meritorious in relation to the above criteria, judging panels have the flexibility to use information provided by the nominator on the nominee’s broader contribution to the chemistry community as an additional criterion.
Examples of relevant contributions could include, but are not limited to:
- Involvement with learned societies
- Teaching and mentorship
- Service on boards, committees or panels
- Leadership in the scientific community
- Promotion of diversity and inclusion
- Advocacy for chemistry
- Public engagement and outreach
The winner of the award is normally announced in late February.
Judging Panel
The selection process is carried out by a group of 番茄社区 Electrochemistry Group committee members. This group consists of at least five members of the 番茄社区 Electrochemistry Group committee (avoiding conflict of interest). Selection committee members will be from institutions other than those of the nominees.