Terms and Conditions | Charles Boucher Award

By entering The Charles Boucher Award for Excellence in Science initiative (hereinafter referred to as ‘Initiative’) you hereby agree to the following terms and conditions:

1. Information on how to enter forms part of the terms of entry.
2. The Initiative is an international award aimed at scientific young investigators who are active in virology research with a global reach.
3. The Initiative will be held annually.
4. Entrants have the potential to win a Mentored Presentation Opportunity or Support for a Skill Building Activity.
5. Entrants must select their award preference at time of entry.
6. The Organizer reserves the right to cancel or amend the Initiative or these Terms & Conditions. Any changes to the Initiative or Terms & Conditions will be communicated to entrants as soon as possible by the Organizer.

1. The organizer of the Initiative is Virology Education B.V. (hereinafter referred to as ‘Organizer’) whose registered office is located in Utrecht, The Netherlands

1. The Initiative is open to individuals who satisfy the following criteria:
   1. Have received a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Science (BSc, MSc, or equivalent) from an internationally recognized university or institution;
   2. Are currently active in the field of clinical virology research, preferably research on HIV, Hepatitis, or COVID-19;
   3. Have a publication, abstract, or have attended a conference, workshop, or meeting on the field of clinical virology research; and
   4. Are aged 35 years or younger.
2. There is no entry fee or purchase necessary to enter the Initiative.
3. Only one entry will be accepted per individual.
4. Individuals are required to enter via the submission portal found on the Initiative webpage. The submission portal will be open from 26 February 2022 until 31 March 2022.
5. In order to enter an individual is required to submit a detailed description outlining their eligibility and award preference. A clear, concise description on how the applicant wishes to use the award must be included.
6. The individual must submit the following:
   1. A completed online entry form via the submission portal;
   2. A concise overview that describes their research and its relevance to the specifically selected conference. The overview must not exceed 250 words in length (Mentored Presentation Opportunity only);
   3. A clear description of the skill-building activity supported by a motivation letter on how this activity will benefit their research and / or career development. The description must not exceed 250 words in length (Support for a Skill Building Activity only);
   4. A one-page letter of recommendation from the individual’s supervisor or other senior colleague who is familiar with the applicant’s work; and
   5. A Curriculum Vitae that includes the following:
      1. Full citations of papers that the applicant has published on the research described in the overview;
      2. Academic and professional awards and honors that the applicant has received;
      3. Relevant professional experience; and
      4. Current employment.

1. The winner/s will be selected by the Awards Committee with consultation from the Review Committee.
2. A winner/s is expected to be selected in April or May 2022. The Organizer is not required to provide an exact date.
3. The winner/s will be announced via the Initiative website and the Organizer will inform the winner/s of their selection via email.
4. In order to verify the winner/s’ age at upon selection, a national ID, passport, or other official document that clearly displays the individual’s name and date of birth must be submitted to the Organizer upon request. This document will be used to verify the individual’s age only and will not be processed for any other purpose or shared with any other party. Once an individual’s age has been verified, the submitted document will be deleted immediately.
5. If the winner/s cannot be contacted or does not claim the award within 14 days of notification, the Organizer reserves the right to withdraw the award from the winner/s and select another entrant.
6. Entrants who are not selected will be informed by the Organizer via email.
7. The decision of the Awards Committee is final and the Organizer will not enter into any correspondence regarding the result.
8. The award is non-transferrable. Should the winner/s be unable to accept the award for any reason, the Organizer must be informed as soon as possible.
9. The selected winner/s will not be eligible to enter the subsequent edition of the Initiative.

1. In the case of the intervention of any outside act, agent, or event which prevents or significantly hinders the Organizer’s or the Awards Committee’s ability to proceed with the Initiative on the specified dates and in the manner described in these Terms and Conditions, including but not limited to acts of God, earthquake, fire, explosion, flood, adverse weather or climate, power outage, strikes, lockouts, boycotts, picketing, labor disturbances, war, terrorism, acts of government, pandemic, epidemic, or any cause whatsoever beyond the control of the Organizer or Awards Committee, the Organizer may, in its sole discretion, cancel or postpone the Initiative.
2. The Organizer will not be liable for any misadventure, accident, injury, loss, or claim that may occur while undertaking any activity in connection with participation in or the performance of the award.
3. The winner/s is responsible for all content produced as part of performance of the award and declares that they hold all copyright and permissions connected or used as part of the Mentored Presentation or Skill Building Activity.
4. The Organizer is not responsible for any failure of entry or notification arising from or related to any problem or technical malfunction of any computer equipment, software, internet connection, any injury or damage to entrant’s or any other person’s electronic device or software related to or resulting from participation in the Initiative.
5. If for any reasons this Initiative is not capable of running as planned, including as a result of computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures or any other causes beyond the control of the Organizer which corrupt or affect the administration security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of this Initiative, the Organizer reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any individual who tampers with the entry process, take any action that may be available, and to cancel, terminate, modify, or suspend the Initiative.

1. The Organizer hereby declares that the Initiative is a completely independent activity and is not influenced, connected to, or made in collaboration with any external party including any pharmaceutical company, diagnostic company, or any other commercial party working within the medical industry.
2. Members of the Awards Committee and Review Committee are selected by the Organizer based solely on their expertise and prominence within the field of virology research.

1. Personal data collected as part of submission into the Initiative including, name, email address, age, place of work, employment history, and educational history, will be processed for the sole purpose of facilitating the Initiative by evaluating and selecting an appropriate winner/s. Once a winner/s has been selected, the personal data of all entrants will be immediately deleted and no record will be stored on any systems operated by the Organizer or members of the Awards Committee.

1. The Initiative and these Terms and Conditions will be governed the law of the Netherlands and any disputes will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the Netherlands.