Johannes Kepler University Linz (Linz/Austria) - Wilhelm Macke Thesis Prize

What the Wilhelm Macke Thesis Prize gives you

For an outstanding Master’s or diploma thesis in physics, you will receive 1,600 EUR in prize money. The prize is awarded by the Wilhelm Macke Private Foundation at the Johannes Kepler University (JKU) in Linz, Austria. Up to three prizes are awarded each academic year. If you have already received a Macke Recognition Prize, the Foundation will reduce the amount accordingly.

Who can apply

• Where you study: You wrote your dissertation at Johannes Kepler University Linz.
• Field of study: Physics, for example Engineering Physics, Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Biophysics or Physics Education.
• Type of work: A completed Master’s thesis or diploma thesis.
• Grade: Your final dissertation was awarded the top mark of ‘Very Good’.
• Timing: Your final thesis was approved within 14 months of the deadline, i.e. roughly between 1 December of the previous year and the end of February.
• Nationality: Any nationality can apply.
• If you win: At the annual ‘Macke Awards’ ceremony, you will give a short talk about your final-year dissertation, presenting it in a way that is understandable to a wide audience and accessible to teachers.

How to apply

You or a member of the physics teaching staff at JKU should email the application to the Foundation. Please attach a PDF file of your final thesis, a one-page summary in German, your academic transcripts, a CV and the application form. The application deadline is 28 (or 29) February each year. Applications will then be assessed by a selection panel.

How realistic are your chances?

This award has very strict criteria: only physics dissertations written at JKU Linz and awarded the grade ‘very good’ are eligible, meaning that the pool of potential candidates is small. As up to three awards are presented each year, there is competition, but this is limited to a specific group. If your thesis has been awarded the top mark and you apply within the specified period, your chances are good.