08 Dec 2004, The Daily Telegraph

The 2005 Awards Launch Article

By Barry Stickings

There is more than money and a chance to get your name in print on offer from this competition: you could help raise the profile of subjects such as chemistry, engineering, maths and physics, which make up for their lack of glamour with their profound impact on modern society.

You can boost your chance of glory by keeping a few things in mind. Your entry should use just 700 or so words to discuss science or technology in an entertaining, informative and original way while being clear, concise and accessible to readers ofThe Daily Telegraph. That much is obvious. It needs an interesting subject. It needs a good “intro” to grab the reader’s interest. It needs to be up to date. Journalistic methods will be favoured by the judges, such as seeking an interview with a scientist (in person, by e-mail or phone), in addition to drawing on published papers and media accounts. Your entry must be accurate. Evaluate each source of information in terms of its originality, relevance, worth and veracity. Take particular care with information on the internet. Do give us your references.

You should have no problem in coming up with a good topic. There is plenty to write about in my company alone. At BASF, the chemical company, we invest more than one billion euros each year in R&D and hire scores of young scientists who help us develop ranges of new products in industrial and speciality chemicals, in plastics, in health and nutrition and more. They also help develop processes for manufacturing products that are more efficient, use less energy and produce less waste. Our scientists develop new catalysts to speed up industrial processes, plastics to make cars lighter, paints which use less solvent, tear-resistant paper, water-resistant leather... The list is almost endless, as is the vast range of technologies that are used, such as nanotechnology, combinatorial chemistry and 3D computer modelling.

Just think about some of the ideas that have been developed as a result of our investment in science and scientists, ranging from a new generation of environmentally friendly adhesives, biodegradeable plastic food wrappings that can act as a fertiliser and novel textile printing technologies that could lead to unique fabrics, such as one that matches the fur of your dog. When you multiply our developments to include all the other work being done around the world in companies, government laboratories and universities and colleges, the subjects you can tackle are endless.

The author is chairman of BASF plc and of the Chemistry Leadership Council. For more information on BASF see www.basf.com