MINERVA FOUNDATION

Criteria for Nominees for the Golden Brain

Questions have arisen about the criteria and procedures used by the Foundation to make the Golden Brain award. The awardee is chosen on the basis of innovative investigations and the resulting influence of those findings on the field of vision and the brain. Furthermore it is highly desirable that these studies involve higher brain function which includes, but is not limited to, such aspects as behavior, thought, attention, decision making and rational insight, and the role of the cerebro-visual system in conscious perception in the brain and what some times is termed the mind.

The award is open to those of all races, nationalities, genders, theological and political affiliations or social attitudes.

Secondary to the considerations above, other attributes are weighed, such as a lack of deserved general recognition, which is common in young investigators, and the potential for future important scientific revelations.

There are well established, well recognized investigators who would have been highly qualified candidates a decade or more ago but whose creative contributions to the field have long since peaked or have not had a substantial influence on the direction and development of our understanding of the function of vision and the brain.

The Foundation seeks all opinions as widely as possible. Formal nominations are solicited by invitation. They have been and are expected to continue to be solicited from previous awardees. In future solicitations, it will be suggested that each nominator offer two nominations in the light of the above criteria to provide the Foundation with a broad list from which to weigh all the factors and choose the most qualified. An attempt will be made to achieve a consensus of the former awardees.

In short, we seek original research which leads to our sapience or understanding of the operation of our brain. Time will make it clear how well the board achieved wisdom in this respect.