ISRM is extending an invitation to all national groups and the entire rock mechanics community to send their nominations for the Rocha Medal 2026.
The Rocha Medal award is for an outstanding doctoral thesis in rock mechanics or rock engineering. To be considered for the award the candidate must be a member of the ISRM and the official doctorate degree certificate must have been obtained in the two calendar years preceding the year of the selection of the award. (i.e. for the Rocha Medal 2026, the selection takes place in 2025, and the official doctorate degree certificate must have been obtained in the years 2023 or 2024).
Nominations shall be by the nominee, or by the nominee’s National Group, or by some other person or organization acquainted with the nominee’s work. Nominations shall be sent electronically to secretariat@isrm.net and addressed to the Secretary-General, and shall contain:
- a one-page curriculum vitae, which is to include the name, nationality, place and date of birth of the nominee, together with position held, postal address, telephone number and electronic mail address;
- a written confirmation by the candidate’s National Group that he/she is a member of the ISRM;
- a thesis summary in paper and digital formats, written in English, with between 5,000 and 10,000 words, detailed enough to convey the full impact of the thesis and accompanied by selected tables and figures, with headings and captions also presented in English;
- a copy of the complete thesis and the name of the supervisor(s) if not indicated in the thesis;
- a copy of the official doctorate degree certificate with English translation;
- a letter of copyright release, allowing the ISRM to copy the thesis for purposes of review and selection only;
- an undertaking by the nominee to submit an article describing the work, for publication in the ISRM News Journal, to be submitted at least one month before the Award Ceremony.
Submissions should be sent electronically, to be received by the Secretary General by 31 December.
Details regarding the award are included on the ISRM website.