Queer Science Competition

Photo of gay mathematician Alan Turing. 
           He smiles at the camera. You may have heard about the achievements and experiences of gay mathematician Alan Turing: there’s a building named after him at Exeter Science Park, a film made about his life (The Imitation Game), and he even features on the reverse of polymer Bank of England £50 notes! But why don’t we know more Lesbian, Gay, Bi/Pan, Trans, Queer, Intersex and Asexual (LGBTQIA+) scientists, technologists, engineers, mathematicians and medics?

Through the Queer Science Competition (QSC), PRISM Exeter - in partnership with the Intercom Trust, Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, and the University of Exeter - is challenging secondary school, college, and university students across the South West to discover lesser-known LGBTQIA+ scientists, technologists, engineers, mathematicians and medics and celebrate them. We want to know whose life and/or work you find inspiring and why.

The competition entries will be judged by a panel of PRISM Exeter coordinators who are employed across the University of Exeter, the Met Office, the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Exeter Science Park and TechExeter.

One winner will receive a cash prize of £100 and two runners-up will each receive a cash prize of £50. As the theme for LGBT+ History Month 2024 is “Medicine - #UnderTheScope”, we have teamed up with Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust to offer a special additional prize for this year’s competition. The highest ranked entry championing an LGBTQ+ medical professional will have their entry transformed into a poster to be displayed in the Trust's hospitals and be invited to spend 0.5 - 7 days work experience with the Trust!

Click here for the full list of terms and conditions, including eligibility criteria.

Unsure where to start your search for your champion? See our 'Getting started' section below for tips on how to get started with your search!

We have compiled a resources pack for teachers and community groups leaders who wish to feature our competition in their classes during LGBT+ History Month 2024. Click here to download the QSC 2024 Resources Pack.

How to enter

    Once you've found an LGBTQIA+ scientist, technologist, engineer, mathematician or medic whose life and/or work inspires you, we want you to submit a short video or essay explaining:
  • who they are
  • which area of science, tech, engineering, maths or medicine they worked in or contributed to
  • how they self-identified / self-identify or what indicates that they may have been LGBTQIA+
  • why you have chosen to champion them.

Click here to download our QSC flyer which features some previous winning entries from 2020 and 2022.

Video entries

  • Videos must be no more than 3 minutes long.
  • The file size must not exceed 100 MB.
  • Landscape (horizontal) or portrait (vertical) formats are allowed.
  • Professional recording equipment is not required. Videos recorded on phones are fine.
  • Audio and any captions must be in English. Text-to-speech software may be used if you do not wish to record your own voice. Any signing should be in British Sign Language (BSL) or Sign Supported English (SSE).
  • Written entries

  • Written entries must not exceed 300 words.
  • Entries must be written in English. Slang (e.g. polari) and dialect words are welcome.
  • We recommend that spell-checkers are used but spelling and grammatical errors will not be penalised so long as the content remains understandable.
  • We recommend that you draft your entry in a word processor before copying the text into our online entry form.
  • Click here to enter
    The competition closes on Friday 15th March 2024 at 16:30 GMT.

    See below for full terms and conditions.

    Terms and Conditions

    This is a communication skills competition for all secondary school, college, and university students in the South West of England:

    • Entrants must have been aged 11 years old or over on September 1st, 2023.
    • Entrants must be enrolled at an educational institution within Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, Dorset or Bristol for all or part of the academic year 2023/24.
    • There are no other eligibility requirements: entrants may be of any gender, identify however they like, and studying any subject / combination of subjects.
    Entries must be submitted in video or written format:
    • Video entries may be in landscape (horizontal) or portrait (vertical) format and must not exceed 3 minutes in length. You do not need professional recording equipment to enter the competition via this format: videos recorded on phones are fine. The file size must not exceed 100 MB. The audio and any captions must be in English. Text-to-speech software may be used. Any signing must be in British Sign Language (BSL) or Sign Supported English (SSE).
    • Written entries must be in English and not exceed 300 words in length.
    • Entries must comprise original work and not be copied from elsewhere.
    • We recommend that entrants use a spell-checker in a word processor (e.g. Microsoft Word) or search engine (e.g. Google) to check their spelling in written entries. However, spelling mistakes and grammatical errors will not be penalised so long as the content remains understandable.
    • Entries must not contain offensive language (including swearing or slurs) or display offensive content.
    • Each entrant may only submit one entry.
    • Entries must be submitted through our online entry form.
    One overall winner, two overall runners-up, and one medical entry winner will be selected from all qualifying entries received by the deadline:
    • The competition will close at 16:30 GMT on Friday 15th March 2024. Entries received after the closing date and time will not be considered.
    • All entries will be judged by a panel of PRISM Exeter coordinators who work across Exeter's Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine sector.
    • All entries will be assessed on their ability to convey information - in video or written format - and their ability to argue their point of view.
    • If the subject of the video or written entry is deceased, the subject must have self-identified as LGBTQIA+ or, if their lifetime predates common use of such terms, the entry must explain what indications there are that the subject may have used these terms were they alive today.
    • If the subject of the video or written entry is still living, the subject must self-identify as LGBTQIA+ and be publicly "out".
    • The three cash prizes will be awarded for entries championing different individuals. If multiple entires champion the same individual, only one of these entries may win a prize.
    • Only entries championing medical professionals (e.g. doctors, nurses, clinicians) will be eligible for the poster and work experience prizes.
    • Championing a medical professional does not disqualify an entrant from the cash prizes.
    • Prize winners/runners-up will be notified by email no later than April 30th 2024.
    • The decision of the judging panel is final.
    The overall winner will receive a cash prize of £100 and the two overall runners-up will each receive a cash prize of £50. Winners and runners-up will each receive a certificate.
    • The cash prizes will be awarded as polymer Bank of England £50 notes. These bear the face of gay mathematician Alan Turing.
    • We recommend that any prize winners under the age of 16 consult with their parent or legal guardian on how to manage their money.
    • PRISM Exeter require written consent from a parent or legal guardian to award cash prizes to winners/runners-up under 16 years of age. A consent form will be emailed out to prize winners in this age bracket at the same time the prize winners are announced. This form will need to be signed and returned by the date specified on the form before the award winner can receive their prize.

    QSC is a student communication competition run by PRISM Exeter, in partnership with the Intercom Trust, Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, and the University of Exeter.

    PRISM Exeter logo. Intercom Trust logo Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust logo Discover University logo University of Exeter logo.

    It is funded through the Royal Society of Chemistry Inclusion and Diversity Fund, awarded to Dr Claire Davies and Dr Ben Gardner on behalf of PRISM Exeter.

    Royal Society of Chemistry logo.