The New Scholars' Prize is awarded to the best essay by a new scholar who is under the age of 35, or who will not have completed the PhD before May 2008. There is no set theme for the competition and the topic of the submitted essay should draw on the scholar’s current research in theater and/or performance. Essays that have been presented at the New Scholars Forum of the preceding conference may also be submitted. The essay must not exceed 4000 words and must be submitted anonymously. The author’s name should not appear anywhere in the essay itself. The essay should be sent electronically as an e-mail attachment, preferably Word, in either English or French. Contact information, but not the essay’s title, should be included in the initial e-mail message. The New Scholars Prize consists of travel costs, registration fee, and student lodging for the 2008 Conference of the IFTR/FIRT, as well as a year’s membership in the organization. The essay will also be eligible for publication in Theatre Research International at the discretion of the editor. The Convenor of the New Scholars Prize Committee will inform the winning scholar at least three months before the 2007 conference. The Treasurer of IFTR/FIRT will then contact the first-prize winner to arrange payment of travel expenses. A Prize will also be awarded for the second-ranking essay, and will consist of free student lodging and registration fee plus a year’s membership in the organization. A Third Prize will be awarded consisting of a year’s membership in the organization. In addition, the authors of the top 25 essays of all those submitted will also receive free conference registration. The Chair of the Committee will notify all participants of their status in the contest at least three months in advance of the conference, and will supply the Conference Organizer with a list of all those for whom the registration fee is waived. However, those for whom the fee is waived should also identify themselves as such at the time they register for the conference. (Submitting an entry does not constitute a conference enrolment. Applicants must enroll separately for the conference.) The Committee for 2007-8: John Conteh-Morgan (USA), Helen Gilbert (UK), Yasushi Nagata (Japan)

The essays should be submitted electronically (in English or French), to the Convenor of the New Scholars Prize Committee:  Prof. S. E. Wilmer   Trinity College   Dublin  

Email: swilmer@tcd.ie

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HELSINKI PRIZE

The Helsinki Prize is awarded to a promising new scholar or staff member of theatre research who originates from one of the countries classified as Developing Countries (as listed in the DAC List of Aid Recipients: http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/35/9/2488552.pdf), and who wishes to participate in the FIRT/IFTR conference for the first time. The prize is awarded on the basis of academic merits. It strives to promote the exchange and networking of new scholars from the DCs and to encourage research in the field of theatre in developing countries. Applications for the Helsinki Prize should include a scholarly essay (4000 words maximum, in English or in French), curriculum vitae, and a letter of recommendation by the applicant’s supervisor or academic mentor. The Committee for 07-08: Marvin Carlson, Janelle Reinelt, Pirkko Koski, Hanna Korsberg, Hinriikka Lindqvist and Sanna Niemeläinen. The Prize was founded by the student Congress Team of the 2006 IFTR/FIRT World Congress. The Prize covers congress fee, travel expenses and accommodation. DEADLINE for receipt of essays : December 15, 2007. The essays should be submitted electronically (in English or French), to the Convenor of the Helsinki Prize Committee:

Email : hanna.korsberg@helsinki.fi