ASAP (Accelerating Science Award Program)
The ASAP initiative was created within PLOS to recognize scientific research published through Open Access that has led to innovations benefiting society. The project included outreach to gather nominations, a selection process to identify winners and runners-up, an award ceremony, and the production of a printed book featuring the winning researchers and their work. Developed in partnership with Google and the Wellcome Trust, this year-and-a-half-long effort showcased the impact of Open Access research across various fields.
Design
As the creative lead for this initiative, I collaborated closely with a designer, site builder, writer, and PLOS leadership to successfully launch this global award program. To emphasize the research at the heart of the program, we developed a streamlined set of guidelines featuring impactful text and a bold red, black, dark gray, and white color palette. This minimalist yet striking design ensured the research remained the focal point against a clean and understated backdrop.
Elements
A dedicated website was created to centralize all information about the Award Program, covering every stage of the initiative. The final version featured in-depth interviews with the winners and runners-up, as well as profiles of the program's sponsors.
Additionally, a printed book was produced and distributed to research institutions and sponsors, serving as a tangible record of the program’s impact. The initiative culminated in a live event where winners were celebrated, received their monetary awards, and presented their groundbreaking research, providing them with a prominent platform to showcase their Open Access work. Videos were recorded at the event and created to further the researcher's work and the use of Open Access.
