Department of Chemistry, University College London - Sharp Prize

What the Neil Sharp Prize gives you

You get a one-off cash prize of about 120 EUR (a share of the department's prize pool, which ranges from about 35 EUR to 1,180 EUR / £30 to £1,000). You are also recognised as the top theoretical chemist of your year. The UCL Department of Chemistry awards the prize once a year to a single final-year student for the best work in theoretical chemistry. This now explicitly includes computational chemistry, meaning the use of computer models and simulations to study chemical systems.

Who can win it

• University: You study chemistry at University College London (UCL).
• Study phase: You are an undergraduate in your final year.
• Field: You have done outstanding work in theoretical chemistry, including computational chemistry.
• Nationality: Any nationality can be considered.
• Performance: The department's examiners judge your work in the field to be the best that year.

How it is awarded

There is no application. The department's examiners board picks the winner each year based purely on academic performance. Results are announced by the department in the autumn.

How realistic are your chances?

You cannot apply for this prize, so there is no way to campaign for it. It goes to the single best final-year student in theoretical chemistry at UCL, chosen by the examiners. Only one person wins each year across the whole year group, so it rewards sustained top marks in this specialised area rather than a strong application. If your work in theoretical and computational chemistry stands out from your year, you are in contention.