Dr. Vince Smith wins the Ebbe Nielsen prize 2008
Dr. Vince Smith, who develops the Sratchpad technology for web-based collaborative taxonomy for EDIT (http://scratchpads.eu/about), will receive the Ebbe Nielsen Prize for bioinformatics next week. Scratchpads are an essential component of EDIT's work in modernising taxonomy: they provide a common space for researchers to share data, ideas and resources in an ergonomic way that facilitates group publications.
This annual award of €30,000 recognises a researcher who is combining biosystematics and biodiversity informatics research in an exciting and novel way. It is granted by the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.
Speaking about the award when he was notified, Dr. Smith said “I am truly delighted and honoured to receive this prestigious award. Cybertaxonomy is coming of age, as more and more people are engaging with an expanding set of tools supporting biodiversity research. To be given the award at this time, when there are so many developments in the field is a great privilege.” The Prize will be awarded by the Honourable Dr. Ali Mohammed Shein, Vice President of Tanzania, on 5 November 2008 in Arusha, Tanzania.
EDIT is very proud of Dr. Smith's work in furthering cybertaxonomy and congratulates him warmly on this occasion.