Regulations Governing the Pirelli Internetional Award Twelfth Edition

1	GENERALITIES
	Pirelli & C. S.p.A. endows the Twelfth Edition of the "Pirelli Internetional Award" for scientific communication and diffusion of scientific and technological culture. The diffusion of scientific and technological culture aims at building a fundamental knowledge of modern society, comprehensible to the citizen, in which the classical studies of the oldest tradition merge harmonically with science. A good scientific and technological culture allows everyone to exercise his/her rights in the most modern sense: with the freedom and the capability to choose autonomously, without any mediation, among the numberless options which a technologically advanced society offers its members
2	PRIZE CATEGORIES AND ENDOWMENT
	The themes chosen to promote the spread of scientific and technological culture this year are those relating to educational multimedia in the following fields: a) PHYSICS: For the best multimedia work coming from this field (special credit will be given to those works aimed at describing or safeguarding the environment); b) CHEMISTRY: For the best multimedia work coming from this field (special credit will be given to those works aimed at describing or safeguarding the environment); c) MATHEMATICS: For the best multimedia work coming from this field; d) LIFE SCIENCES: For the best multimedia work coming from this field (special credit will be given to those works aimed at describing or safeguarding the environment); e) NEXT INTERNET AWARD: For the best multimedia science communication that either describes or makes use of an innovative communication medium; f) TOP PIRELLI PRIZE: Conferred by the Jury to the best of the above awarded submission; g) PREMIO PIRELLI PER L'ITALIA (Pirelli for Italy Award): For the best multimedia work, by an Italian author, in any of the categories a), b), c), d) and e); h) PREMIO PIRELLI PER L'ITALIA JUNIOR (Pirelli for Italy Award Junior): For the best multimedia work, by an Italian author, in any of the categories a), b), c), d) and e) presented by a candidate born after December 31st 1986. i) INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR AWARD: For the best multimedia work in any of the categories a), b), c), d) and e) presented by a candidate born after December 31st 1986. The Prize amounts are: 15,000 euro for each of categories a); b); c); d); e); 10,000 euro for each of categories f); g); h); i). The overall award amounts to 115,000 euro. Finalists whose works are particularly noteworthy will receive a special prize consisting of a Finalist Honourable Mention badge for their websites.
3	JURY
	Alun Anderson, communication of science expert, in charge of evaluating Life Science submissions; Walter Bender, MIT Media Lab Executive Director and Senior Research Scientist, in charge of evaluating ICT submissions; Riccardo Giacconi, Physicist, 2002 Nobel Prize, in charge of evaluating Physics submissions; Umberto Veronesi, Chairman of the European Institute of Oncology, in charge of evaluating Life Science submissions; George Metakides, European Commission Advisor, Expert on the Information Society, in charge of evaluating Mathematics submissions; Antonio Calabrò, Director of Institutional Affairs and External Relations, Pirelli, in charge of evaluating Chemistry submissions; Harold Kroto, Chemist, 1996 Nobel Prize, in charge of evaluating Chemistry submissions; Piergiorgio Odifreddi, mathematician and writer, in charge of evaluating Mathematics submissions; Pasquale Pistorio, Vice President of Confindustria, in charge of evaluating ICT submissions; Konrad Osterwalder, Rector ETH Zurich, in charge of evaluating Physics submissions; Maria Nicolaci, physics Ph.D. student at Rome University, in charge of evaluating Physics submissions; Laura Tanzilli, chemistry student at Rome University, in charge of evaluating Chemistry submissions; Olivia Caramello, mathematics Ph.D. student at Trinity College, Cambridge, in charge of evaluating mathematics submissions; Rosanna Cremona, biology student at Rome University, in charge of evaluating Life Science submissions; Massimiliano Picone, student, 23 years old, winner Pirelli Internetional Award 2001, Junior section, in charge of evaluating ICT submissions; Roberto Vacca, engineer, mass media expert and writer, in charge of evaluating Pirelli for Italy submissions; Adriano De Maio, Under Secretary for the Lombardy Regional Council for High Level Training Research and Innovation, in charge of evaluating Pirelli for Italy submissions; Luciano Criscuoli, General Manager of the Italian Ministry of Research and Technology, in charge of evaluating Pirelli for Italy submissions; Andrea Granelli, consultant for Telecom Italia Innovation Initiatives, in charge of evaluating Pirelli for Italy submissions; Massimiano Bucchi, Science sociologist at the University of Trento, in charge of evaluating Pirelli for Italy submissions; Enrico Bellone, science historian, editor in chief, "Le Scienze" (the Italian edition of Scientific American), in charge of evaluating Pirelli for Italy submissions; Gabriele Santoro, student, 23 years old, Stockholm Challenge Award finalist, in charge of evaluating Pirelli for Italy submissions.
4	TECHNICAL COMMITTEE
	The Technical Committee is in charge of carrying out the preselection of the multimedia works received. Moreover, it has to catalog and summarize them and submit the selected multimedia works to the Jury. In addition, members of the Technical Committee will be in touch with the public for any explanation and information, all throughout the competition. The members of the Technical Committee are: Massimo Armeni, Pirelli, Coordinator; Marina Antonucci, Expert on audiovisual communications; Fabrizio Cobis, Italian Ministry for Research; Giovanni Colombo, Telecom Italia Labs; Richard Hieber, Jurist; Francesco Izzo, Content Manager; Daniele Pafumi, I.T. expert; Fernando Scaduto, Italian Agency for New Technologies, Energy and the Environment; Giorgio Spunticchia, Physician.
5	PRESELECTION AND PRIZES CRITERIA
	DIFFUSION OF SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL CULTURE The first evaluation criterion determines - in line with the Award's philosophy - the extent to which the work contributes toward the diffusion scientific and technological culture. A score is therefore assigned based on the work's level of clarity and legibility.The score ranges from 0 to 6, with a two-point interval (0, 2, 4 or 6). Some examples: If, for example, the examiner should realize that the multimedia work is a drama bearing the title "Hamlet" and beginning with, "To be or not to be....that is the question!", he/she could not consider it suitable because the multimedia work does not contribute at all to the diffusion of scientific and technological culture. In this case, the examiner gives it a score of "0" and refrains from going on with the evaluation. If the multimedia work is a joke about mad scientists, the examiner will be able to give it a minimum positive score (2), because it could be said that the multimedia work contributes to the diffusion of scientific and technological culture, though in a very little way. If the multimedia work consists of a software which simulates a guided sight-seeing tour of the Roman Coliseum, the given score can be higher because the multimedia work stimulates people to get close to the computer world; still, it could not be the maximum score because the work is more humanistic in culture, rather than scientific-technological; therefore, the assigned score should be "4". If the multimedia work is a digitized movie inspired by "Modern times," where a funny mustached man struggles with modern machines in a factory, the given score can be the maximum (that is "6") because both the instrument chosen and the subject of the multimedia work contribute considerably to the diffusion of scientific and technological culture. Summing up: if the multimedia work does not contribute to the diffusion of the scientific and technological culture at all: 0 if the multimedia work contributes a little to the diffusion of the scientific and technological culture: 2 if the multimedia work contributes fairly well to the diffusion of the scientific and technological culture: 4 if the multimedia work contributes considerably to the diffusion of the scientific and technological culture: 6 SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL RIGOR Notwithstanding the author's intentions, the multimedia work could be carried out with a different degree of scientific and technological rigor. The examiner verifies the exactness of formulas, the clearness of principles, the validity of theories, and all the mainly technical aspects.  Therefore in this phase the evaluation only determines the scientific validity of the work. Again, the score may range from 0 to 6. No scientific and technological rigor: 0 Weak scientific and technological rigor: 2 Fairly good scientific and technological rigor: 4 High scientific and technological rigor: 6 MULTIMEDIA The Pirelli Internetional Award is a multimedia award, therefore it stimulates and favors the use of multimedia. Though it is possible that a simple Word document could be accepted, it would be less likely to win relative to other works of the same substantial level, but of higher artistic impact. The Pirelli Internetional Award is not simply a scientific and technological award, but an award on the communication of science and technology. This means that, in order for communication to be effective, the best instruments must be used. Multimedia objects are the best instruments available today, because they include, text, hypertext, images, sounds, animations, software... The score on this criterion is also from 0 to 6, with the following differences: Only one communication instrument used: 0 (i.e. only text or only images) Few communication instruments used: 2 (i.e. text plus images) Many communication instruments used: 4 (i.e. text, images, sounds) All communication instruments used: 6 ORIGINALITY With reference to the examples listed above, we saw that if the poem is concerning "love" or "nostalgia," then it is not considered at all, but if it concerns science, then it can gain points for its originality, as very few poems have been written about scientific and technological subjects. Another example is: there are many software programs simulating guided tours, but a candidate could create a 3D program to be used with a "viewer" and "sensors", in order to recreate a virtual reality experience. For the criterion of originality, as well as for the remaining criteria, the score may range from 0 to 3 (0, 1, 2, or 3). Summing up, according to the examiner's taste, knowledge and sensitiveness, the multimedia work could be: Not original at all: 0 A little original: 1 Fairly original: 2 Extremely original: 3 SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACT By using this criterion we intend to estimate, theoretically, how much the multimedia work could affect the social tissue, leveling the differences and unbalances between classes, categories, races and religions, and favoring a comparison between different cultures, but also what money flow, turnover, manpower --or even employment rate-- can the multimedia work generate. Therefore, any multimedia work that can be appreciated by a blind man; a software that can be used by disabled people; an essay proving the existence of prejudices in the division of human species into various races -these are all examples of multimedia works with a high social impact; on the economic side, an original and revolutionary computer software could probably be more profitable than a poem; an essay publishable on a specialized magazine will sell less than an article published on a wide-circulation newspaper, and so on. Please note that even in this case the evaluation depends on the examiner's sensitiveness. No socio-economic impact: 0 Weak socio-economic impact: 1 Fairly good socio-economic impact: 2 Strong socio-economic impact: 3 INTERNATIONAL RELEVANCE This criterion concerns the language used in the multimedia work. Any language but English/Italian: 0 Italian: 1 English: 2 Multilingual (English present): 3 INTERACTIVITY This criterion concerns the degree to which the user interacts with the multimedia work. No interactivity: 0 Some interactivity: 1 Medium interactivity: 2 Extensive interactivity: 3 APPEAL This last criterion concerns only the Next Internet category and measures the degree to which the work is likely to aquire mass appeal. No appeal: 0 Some appeal: 1 Medium appeal: 2 Extensive appeal: 3 PLEASE NOTE: all of the above are only guidelines for the Technical Committee. The Judges somewhat disregard the numerical score, even though they know the evaluation criteria fairly well. Strictly speaking, it is possible that a work with the highest theoretical score is not awarded, while another with a lower score earns the first prize. This is due to human factors (such as opinions and tastes) which cannot ever be replaced by computers. We like it this way.
6	EVALUATION PROCEDURE
	1st Step After the final entry date, the Technical Committee makes a preliminary selection of candidates excluding only clearly non-conforming entries, i.e. those not utilizing nor dealing with  science and technology, those technically not working, those over the size limits, those using languages different from Italian or English, those sent after the deadline, and so on. 2nd Step The Technical Committee then examines the candidates, excluding those considered unanimously less interesting, although strictly speaking admissible, reducing the candidates to about 60-80 works. 3rd Step The Technical Committee then selects a set of 5 candidates per category, who are classified as finalists. The remaining candidates are classified as semi-finalists. 4th Step The Pirelli Internetional Award jury consists of five separate panels, each tasked with evaluating science communication works in a specific scientific field. The five panels represent the fields of physics, chemistry, mathematics, life sciences and ICT. Each jury panel now examines the finalists in their field and elects the category winner. Except for the Top Pirelli Prize, which is voted on by all jurors, the jurors do not vote on or influence decisions made by the panels outside their field. The Pirelli Group reserves the right to not assign one or more prizes in a given category in the event all candidates fail to meet minimal standards of quality or relevance. Similarly, the Pirelli group reserves the right to extend a special prize to finalists of note consisting of a Finalist Honourable Mention badge for their websites.
7	ELIGIBILITY
	Participation in categories a), b), c), d), e) is open to all citizens of the world. Participation in category g) is open to all Italian citizens. Participation in category h) is open to all Italian citizens born after 31 December 1986. Participation in category i) is open to anyone born after 31 December 1986.
8	PARTICIPATION PROCEDURE
	Application forms are available exclusively online, and the multimedia work can be sent (e-mail or FTP procedure) exclusively through the Internet (point 10 below). Candidates should send the application form properly filled in, together with their work(s). The candidate who wants to participate in the contest with two or more works shall fill an application form for each of his/her works.
9	TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
	Multimedia works should consist of one of the following typologies or any combination of them: Documents Hypertextual documents Images Demo or Presentation, Applied, Educational Game software for: MS-DOS operating systems (any version) MS Windows operating systems (any version) Macintosh operating systems (any version) Movies Digitized sounds: The size of multimedia works should not be over 350 Megabytes, unless the technical committee provides specific authorization. For works over 350 Megabytes thus authorized, the Jury can also evaluate the website the submitted demo points to. Multimedia works with typologies and sizes different from those indicated above will be considered, provided that they are supplied on a computer device, that they are available to distribution through the Internet, and that they have obtained the authorization of the Technical Committee. All the technical details needed for an analysis of the work must be specified in the application form. Multimedia works can be in Italian or in English. The use of any other language may make the multimedia work unacceptable. The multimedia work can be sent via FTP, or  E-Mail (file attachments, up to 20Mb). Technical details for each single case will appear on the screen after the filling in of the application form.
10	SAMPLE PARTICIPANTS FOR THE NEXT INTERNET AWARD
	Examples of multimedia science communication that describe innovative communication media: • Macromedia Flash Player 6 A multimedia client technology with an installed base of over 400 million users. It plays vector based animations and is therefore at least 10 times as data efficient as bitmap based equivalents such as .mpegs • @Contact: Telecom Services A multimedia transmission technology that provides high bandwidth connectivity and advanced telecom services to remote users. • Farbrauch .fr-08: .the .product Hyper compression technology that can shrink multimedia presentations down to ridiculously small file sizes. • Brain-Computer Interfaces For Communication and Control Using computers to increase the communication options of people with grave disabilities. Examples of multimedia science communication that make use of innovative communication media: • Wikipedia Chemistry Portal An invaluable resource for chemists and chemistry students. It makes use of an innovative communication medium, the open source collaborative project, to expand and remain up-to-date. • Popsci.com science blog Another invaluable resource covering all scientific disciplines. It makes use of an innovative communication medium, the simple blog, where visitors can interact directly with authors by posting questions and comments. • Molecular Visualization of DNA A fascinating visualization of biomolecular processes. It makes use of an innovative communication medium, the self-authored video portal, from where anyone can freely broadcast their videos to the world. • ENEL Science Park A virtual model village that describes various methods of generating reneweable, non-polluting energy. It makes use of an innovative communication medium, the 3D metaverse.
11	ORIGINALITY AND COPYRIGHTS
	In principle, multimedia works should be unpublished and original. Nevertheless any adaptations, new issues and reviews of other works will also be considered, provided that the candidate has included something original in them and   bears the responsibility of any summons arising from a possible breach of copyrights. Possible copyrights and royalties of the work submitted remain to the legal owner. Pirelli is only authorized to make a link on its Web pages, or to promote it by other means, provided it is for non-profit purposes, with the only intent being the spread of scientific and technological culture. For the purpose of assigning awards, declarations made on the application form will apply, unless differently and specifically agreed with the applicant, even by e-mail.
12	DEADLINE
	Participants shall send their works up to midnight (Italian time) of December 31st, 2007. The receipt date and time of the file are automatically assigned by our FTP server. Participants are invited to transmit their works as soon as they are ready, so as to enable the Technical Committee and the Jury to evaluate the multimedia works carefully. In other words, if a great deal of candidates send their works on the days just prior to the deadline, there could be the risk of a hurried evaluation. This is not in the interest of the Pirelli Internetional Award nor in the interest of the candidates. That is why the Jury strongly recommends to transmit your works as soon as possible. We also remind you that, since the works must be sent through the Internet, it is wise to transmit your work as soon as you can: this will allow us to inform you in time of possible problems or transmission errors. The Technical Committee, in agreement with the Jury, may postpone the term for the transmission of the work after explicit request of the candidates, which must however register before the fixed term of December 31st, 2007. The prize-giving ceremony has yet to be confirmed.
13	LIABILITY
	In no event shall the Technical Committee and Pirelli & C. S.p.A. be liable for possible loss, illegal uses or incidental damages to multimedia works. Participants are suggested that a copy of the material sent should be kept. In the event of any controversy involving the Technical Committee or Pirelli & C. S.p.A. the participant agrees that Rome, Italy, is the competent forum and that the laws of the Republic of Italy govern this agreement. In case of a disparity between the Italian and English versions of the agreement, the Italian version supercedes.
14	UNACCEPTABILITY
	Participants should fill in the application form in any single part; incompleteness may cause the multimedia work to be considered unacceptable.