Rosse Medal

The Institute of Physics awards the Rosse Medal each year to the winner of the postgraduate science communication competition. The medal commemorates the 3rd Earl of Rosse (Sir William Parsons KP, FRS) and his contributions to science.

Postgraduate students are invited to submit posters on any research area in physics for consideration for inclusion in the conference. The posters should be prepared for presentation and communication to a general physics audience. Students are expected to register to attend for both days. Should you not be able to attend for both days, please contact ireland@iop.org before registering.

All entrants should bring a poster (size A1, portrait) and a short PowerPoint presentation (max 5 minutes) with them.

Please note that the Rosse Medal is restricted to applicants from third level institutions in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Process

The Rosse Medal Competition will take place over the two days. Entrants will be required to set up posters between 2.00 and 3.00 pm on the Friday. This will give attendees the opportunity to view all posters before the official judging begins on Saturday morning.

27 February

2.00–3.00 pm: Poster set-up

28 February

9:30–11:30 am: First round, Rosse Medal official judging and poster viewing
3.00–4.30 pm: Second Round Rosse Medal judging - top 5 presentations
5:00-6:00 pm: Announcement of winner and medal presentation

The Rosse Medal winner will represent Ireland at the next 3-Minute Wonder Final (date TBC).

Submission deadline: Sunday 8 February 2026.

Please include with your submission author’s full name, title of poster, Institution and an abstract of no more than 350 words, submitted in plain text format.

Bursaries

You must be a member of the IOP and meet the qualifying criteria to apply for the bursary. We reserve the right to contact your supervisor to verify any submitted information. To become a member of the IOP please click here.

Our travel and accommodation bursaries are limited and intended for those who would be unable to attend the conference without financial support. We kindly ask all applicants to apply honestly. By doing so you help to ensure that the available funds reach those who need them most and support fair access for everyone.

Please download the bursary application form here and return to ireland@iop.org, along with proof of registration.

Please email ireland@iop.org if you have any questions.