04 June 2012, Sweetcrude, Lagos – The Profile Awards sponsored by Siemens is an annual pan-African competition which seeks to honour journalists who excel in the fields of science and technology reporting.
Entries for the 2012 competition are now open for work published in print, online or
broadcast media. The closing date is the 17th of August 2012. The awards ceremony will be
held on the 26th of October 2012, as part of the Sustain Our Africa Change Agent Awards in
Cape Town, South Africa.
As innovation in science and technology continues, often at a bewildering pace, it is essential for all, from governments and business through to the person on the street, to stay up-to-date with the latest developments. Advancements in science and technology can help to create safer and
healthier societies, a cleaner environment and prosperous knowledge-driven economies across
Africa.
The media plays a vital role in sharing these stories and demystifying the important subjects
that are driving change and creating a more sustainable future. The primary objective of the Profile Awards competition is to recognize and reward those writers and broadcasters who effectively report on science and technology on the continent.
The Profile Awards competition is sponsored by Siemens, the world’s largest provider of
environmentally friendly technologies and is supported by the South African Department of Science
and Technology.
Recognising journalists who focus on science and technology topics will go a long
way in encouraging excellence in reporting as well as ensuring that science and technology
journalism moves from the periphery of the news agenda into the mainstream, where it belongs.
Making it easier for entrants to categorise their work as well as broadening the potential scope of submissions, entries can be submitted in the following five categories:
1. Energy efficiency: This category covers fields such as environmental technologies; power generation, transmission & distribution; intelligent electricity consumption, lighting, buildings, transportation, etc.
2. Sustainable cities: This category covers fields in urban infrastructure such as transport; water; energy, buildings security, etc.
3. Industrial productivity: This category covers fields such as industrial automation, drives technologies, digital engineering and industrial IT, African industry and manufacturing like mining, food and beverage, water, cement, automotive, etc.
4. Healthcare: This category covers fields such as diagnostic imaging and therapy; laboratory diagnostics; healthcare IT; integrated healthcare solutions; rural healthcare; women’s health; cancer treatment and therapy; HIV AIDS, etc.
5. Student journalism award: This category is applicable for all entries from students who are studying journalism and have covered stories in the area of science and technology related to the above categories.
Although the language of interaction within the programme is English, the continent’s diversity is accommodated by the Profile Awards, with entries accepted in Arabic, English, French and Portuguese.
The closing date for entries is the 17th of August 2012. Entries for the Profile Awards can be submitted online at www.profileawards.co.za
Siemens (Berlin and Munich) is a global powerhouse in electronics and electrical engineering, operating in the fields of industry, energy and healthcare as well as providing infrastructure solutions, primarily for cities and metropolitan areas. For over 160 years, Siemens has stood for technological excellence, innovation, quality, reliability and internationality. The company is the world’s largest provider of environmental technologies. Around 40 percent of its total revenue stems from green products and solutions. In fiscal 2011, which ended on September 30, 2011, revenue from continuing operations totaled €73.5 billion and income from continuing operations €7.0 billion. At the end of September 2011, Siemens had around 360,000 employees worldwide on the basis of continuing operations.