Call for Nominations: 2nd Annual Trial and Error Award

Journal of Trial and Error (JOTE) aims to showcase the importance of understanding and sharing the challenges/failures researchers face in their work. The Trial and Error Award, established by JOTE, celebrates the courage and transparency of researchers who embrace their scientific setbacks and share the invaluable lessons learned through failure. Following the success of last year’s inaugural award, we’re thrilled to announce the 2nd Annual Trial and Error Award, in collaboration with the Museum of Failure, Utrecht Young Academy, and Twente Young Academy. This year, we’re expanding the scope: nominations are open to all published articles that explore scientific failure!

Eligibility Criteria

We welcome nominations from all disciplines. Eligible articles must:

• Be a published discussing or analyzing a scientific failure/negative- or null result.
• Be published between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025.

Articles can be nominated by a reader, author or colleague.

Nomination Process

To nominate an article, please provide:

Submit your nominations by 30 June 2025 by the latest.

Learn more about last year’s award and the stories behind it at https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/news/2024/04/floor-van-meer-receives-new-trial--error-award

The winning article will be chosen from the pool of nominees via live lottery during the Trial and Error Symposium on 7 October 2025.

Why Participate?

By nominating an article, you help highlight valuable contributions to a culture of learning through failure in academia and beyond. These stories have the potential to inspire others, challenge the stigma around failure, and highlight its essential role in scientific progress. Together, this would help us ‘redefine’ how we value failure in the pursuit of knowledge.

Nominate someone today!

Nomination Form