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awards, competition, Events, Opportunities

HOW QUANTUM IS LIFE? COMPETITION

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Application Deadline: September 29, 2025

LOCATION: USA

This Competition is presented in partnership with the Paradox Science Institute. The advent of quantum mechanics overhauled the physical sciences, leading to huge leaps in physics, chemistry, and computer science. In recent years, biology has made great advances through interdisciplinary work with chemistry and physics. Yet the quantum revolution’s impact on biology remains largely unexplored. Among the most intriguing aspects is the possible role that quantum physics plays in biology. This topic has ignited vigorous and enduring debate.

ELIGIBILITY:

No purchase is necessary to enter or win. A purchase does not increase your chance of winning.

Relevant: The essay must be relevant to the topic, “How Quantum is Life?” (This is also one of the criteria for the Expert Judges’ review.)

Accessible: The essay must be readable and understandable to non-specialist audiences, not overly technical. (This is also the criteria for the Expert Judges’ review.)

Submitted via FQxI’s Submission Form—Competition Entrants must use a QSpace Forums account to submit an entry via the submission form.

Within the Text Limit: (25,000-character limit)

Minimal in References and Endnotes: An addendum is discouraged, but Competition Entrants can provide additional references and technical endnotes in the text boxes provided on the application. There is no guarantee Public Readers or Competition Evaluators, including the Expert Judges, will review these additional pages. All essays should be accessible so readers can understand the essay without these notes. Excessively technical essays could be disqualified.

Written or Translated into English: We welcome essays from across the globe, but the essay should be submitted in English. There are online translation tools, such as DeepL or Google Translate, that Competition Entrants can use. Please note: we cannot guarantee the accuracy of these online sites, so please have someone proofread your essay if possible. Please contact FQxI if you have questions.

Anonymous: Essays should make no implicit or explicit reference to the Essay Author. This includes referring to the Essay Author’s other outputs in the first person or heavily referencing the Competition Entrant’s own work, making it very clear that you are the author.

Not Harmful: Essays deemed offensive will be disqualified and will not be displayed on the site. Examples of offensive content include, but are not limited to, inappropriate language (curse words, epithets, flame wars, advertisements, etc.), pornography, and content that may incite violence or hate crimes or which denigrates specific groups of people.

Please review your essay thoroughly before submitting it to the Competition. We will not accept requests for edits once an essay is posted to the Competition Entries page.

BENEFIT:

Cash: There will be up to $53,000 in cash prizes awarded in this Competition. The Expert Judges can award multiple or no winners in each of the prize categories:

First Prize: US$10,000 each

Second Prize: US$5,000 each

Third Prize: US$2,000 each

Fourth Prize: US$1,000 each

Discretionary Prizes: as determined by the judges

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awards, competition, Events, Opportunities

THE CNCDH 38th EDITION OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS PRIZE

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Application Deadline: September 14, 2025

LOCATION: France

In 2025, for the 38th edition of the Human Rights Prize, the CNCDH will reward projects dedicated to the exploitation and trafficking of children. Every year, tens of millions of children (in the remainder of this text, “child” is understood to be a person under the age of 18, as defined in the International Convention on the Rights of the Child) are victims of trafficking and exploitation, although it is not possible to precisely estimate their number. According to the latest UNODC report (December 2024), the overall number of detected child victims of human trafficking and exploitation increased by 31% between 2019 and 2022, with a 38% increase recorded for girls. The number of victims is increasing as poverty, conflict, and climate change make more people vulnerable to exploitation. Children now account for 38% of detected victims.

ELIGIBILITY:

The Prize is open to both individuals and organizations, regardless of nationality or borders. It is possible to apply for several consecutive years. Members of the Commission are not eligible to apply. These suggestions do not preclude proposals from other members of the Commission.

Applicants are welcome to apply from individuals or non-governmental organizations with one or more field projects based on a human rights-based approach that aim to prevent and combat child trafficking and exploitation.

Applications will be considered if they aim, while respecting children’s rights, to:

provide comprehensive support for young people;

implement transformative and restorative actions;

ensure the active participation of the children themselves in the project.

The projects presented will focus on defending and protecting children against trafficking and exploitation through programs including:

raising awareness among the general public and authorities;

identifying and referring victims;

welcoming, supporting, and rehabilitating child victims;

training stakeholders (police, justice, medical-social sector, education, etc.);

advocating for the implementation of legal tools or the development of public policies to combat and prevent trafficking;

ensuring access to justice and reparations, etc.

Applications must comply with the Prize’s rules.

The Prize’s rules are available online. Candidates must submit their complete application before the submission deadline of September 14, 2025.

BENEFIT:

The five winners of the Human Rights Prize share a financial endowment of €70,000 and benefit from lifelong diplomatic protection from France. The endowment is awarded only to the winners; special mentions do not.

They are invited to France for the official presentation of the Prize by a member of the French Government on December 10. On the sidelines of this ceremony, these human rights defenders will meet with French institutional and civil society actors.

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