Enter a new writing competition for the chance to attend the Publishing Better Science Through Better Data 2015 event (#scidata15) in October, have your writing published on the Naturejobs blog and work with Nature Publishing Group editors.

After a rapidly sold out first conference in 2014, we are looking for five budding science writers to help with news coverage of Publishing Better Science Through Better Data 2015. The day-long conference, held at Nature Publishing Group’s offices in Kings Cross on October 23rd 2015, will explore the practical implications, for early career researchers conducting and publishing their work, of data sharing policies and tools.

This year’s full-day conference will include advice on publishing, advancing careers and include discussion of emerging tools and resources available to researchers to help them, and society, derive maximum benefit from scientific research. The focus of the 2015 conference is on natural sciences and medicine, from academic and industry research perspectives.

Speakers will include representatives from leading journals, research organisations, funding agencies and technology providers. Also, lightning talks and demos will enable conference delegates – researchers and technologists – to present case studies of data sharing and analysis tools in action.

The five winners of the competition will be invited to attend the conference and write up one of the sessions for our readers.

Winners will work closely with Nature Publishing Group editors in developing their report from the conference, and their articles will be published on the Naturejobs blog.

The competition is open to all unpublished*, currently enrolled undergraduate, graduate or postgraduate science students and post docs working in either the natural sciences, clinical sciences, physical sciences, or life sciences. You don’t have to be London-based, but do keep in mind travel expenses.

All you need to do to enter the competition and stand a chance of being a journalist with Naturejobs for the day is to send us the following:

1. A cover letter explaining why you want to be considered and what would make you a good science journalist.
2. Your CV.
3. A 600 word answer to one of the following topics:

• What tools can help scientists share their data and access other scientists’ data?
• What are journals and publishers doing to encourage data sharing?
• Why should scientists share their data?
• Why don’t scientists share their data?
• How is the rise of data-intensive research changing what it means to be a scientist?
• What should research organisations do to support better data sharing and management?

The prizes are:

1. The 5 winning and 5 runner-up entries will be posted on the Naturejobs blog before the event.
2. The reports of the conference will be published on the Naturejobs blog, the Scientific Data blog and NPG’s Of Schemes and Memes blog after the event.
3. Winners will work with, and meet, NPG editors.
4. The 5 winners will get a one year free subscription to Nature magazine.
5. The 5 winners will also get a £50 Amazon voucher.

The things you need to know BEFORE entering the competition:

1. We can offer limited travel expenses (up to £100).
2. The competition entries and content created will be used on the Naturejobs blog.
3. The deadline for sending in your competition entries is 31 August 2015 at 9pm BST/5PM EST.
4. You can send your competition entries to the Naturejobs editor at naturejobseditor [at] nature.com.

* A ‘published’ writer is a professional journalist. Bloggers and student journalists are welcome to enter.