Every year since 1994, the Ministry of Education, Research and Technology has awarded "prizes for scientific and technological culture". The purpose of these prizes is to promote scientific and technological popularization. On October 8, 1996, the winners received the prizes from the hands of François d’Aubert, State secretary for Research. Among the winners are several CNRS researchers and research teams.

The Laboratory prize was awarded to the radioastronometry station in Nançay, a CNRS-Paris Observatory unit.

This prize is awarded to university laboratories, or laboratories belonging to a public research organization which have launched popularization campaigns to inform the public about scientific research, its methods and findings as well as its issues and challenges.

• Situated in the Cher department, the Nançay radioastronomy station, a CNRS-Paris Observatory research unit (USR 704) has been conducting various activities for the public: local and regional actions with secondary schools and institutes of higher education in Bourges, festivals such as the "Festival des passions technologiques" and "Science en fête", or actions of national or international scope such as radio and television programs and contacts with networks of amateur astronomers.

  These actions go beyond simply looking at stars: the public can learn to detect electromagnetic waves, process data and images, use specific software, etc., in other words experience the full complexity of scientific discovery.
  Thanks to the close collaboration of local authorities and the Nançay station, a special facility was created in 1997 to welcome visitors.
  The Nançay radioastronomy station was awarded first prize (50,000 FF).

• The operation "Classes éco-fleuves" was launched by the Ministry of Education, Research and Technology and the Department of Geology and Oceanography, an associate CNRS-University of Bordeaux 1 unit (URA 197). The operation is supported by the CNRS in the framework of the "Passion-Research" projects which involve students, teachers and researchers in a common project.
  The students of 48 local high schools were able to carry out experiments in the framework of the research program devoted to "Waterway transport and erosion processes in the Adour, Dordogne and Garonne river basins". With their newly acquired awareness of environmental problems and of the research conducted by the Department of Geology and Oceanography, the high school students then organize exhibitions on these topics in their home towns.
  
  This operation, which combines research, pedagogy and public relations, was awarded second prize (25,000 FF).

The Authorship Prize went to Katherine Gruel, CNRS researcher

This prize is open to all those who participate in research activities - researchers, teacher-researchers, engineers, administrative staff - and contribute to making scientific research known to the public.

• Katherine Gruel is a CNRS researcher and works in the Eastrn and Western Archeology Laboratory, a CNRS-Ecole Normale Supérieure Ulm joint unit (UMR 126). She was awarded the prize for her popularization work (Mont-Beuvray excavation school, from 1987 to 1990, heritage classes, lectures on numismatics in schools), and for the action she has been conducting since 1995 in Allones, near the city of Le Mans, on the themes: "archeological heritage as a social link in the community of Allones" and "a housing project in search of its past". Her work is supported by the CNRS, in the framework of the "Passion-research" projects which involve students, teachers and researchers in a common project.
  Katherine Gruel thus invited an underprivileged urban community to collaborate with her in her archeological research. Her aim was twofold: first, to make it possible for underprivileged youth, students, and local residents, to come and work on the excavation site, and secondly, to interest the inhabitants of Allones in their historical heritage, by giving them a chance to see how archeological work is being done in their town. Thanks to this action, and with the help of the teachers, local schools included in their curricula a theoretical and practical introduction to archeology.
  
  Katherine Gruel was awarded first prize (20,000 FF).

• Daniel Raichvarg teaches didactics and history of science at the University of Paris Sud in Orsay. Since 1987, he has chosen to popularize science through stage productions focusing on scientific topics.
  The jury was very much impressed by the play "Cabaret Pasteur, or Louis Pasteur, man of science and theatre", of which he is all together author, director and actor. In this show, Daniel Raichvarg explains the different aspects of Pasteur's work, using concrete objects in a symbolic fashion. The play was shown in many schools and cultural events in France and abroad, at the Futuroscope in Poitiers, for example, in the framework of the CNRS "Rencontres Sciences et citoyens" in 1995.
  
  Daniel Raichvarg was awarded the second prize ( 15,000 F)

The Creation prize was awarded to "Six Billion Human Beings" and "Colors of Light"

This prize is awarded to two events, including one exhibition, organized by associations which, though they do not belong to the world of research, are devoted to increasing public scientific awareness. Both events were awarded the sum of 20,000 F each.

• "Six Billion Human Beings"
  This exhibit was organized by the Laboratory of Biological Anthropology, a CNRS-Collège de France-Museum of Natural History joint research unit (UMR152) located in Paris. The aim of this exhibit was to correct certain misconceptions concerning demographic growth. Thanks to interactive tools, visitors were able carry out simple simulations based on a scientific data base made up of UN demographic forecasts. Owing to its success, the exhibition, which had initially been planned to last 15 months, was prolonged for over a year. It will also be translated in order to be shown abroad.

• "Colors of Light"
  The operation "Colors of Light" was organized by the committee "A fond la Science" at the Municipal library of Ballancourt (Essonne). Its aim was to introduce young people to science in an amusing and interesting way. They were thus able to carry out experiments with fluorescence or learn to use scientific instruments (miscroscopes, radiometers), consult documents (books, posters, videos), play with a giant puzzle, a house-book, etc. The themes covered were judiciously chosen, ranging from the perception and classification of colors to their blending and their spectrum.

The Scientific and technical information prize was awarded to the magazine "Science et Vie Junior"

This prize is jointly awarded by the Academy of Sciences and the Ministry of Education and Research to a journalist or publisher who has popularized recent scientific discoveries. The winner receives the sum of 20,000F
"Science et Vie Junior" is a monthly scientific popularization magazine for younger readers age 12 to 17. The magazine was created in 1989 and combines high quality scientific information with reading pleasure. Today, its circulation has reached 185,000. Each issue is richly illustrated and divided into four sections: "Today", "Yesterday", "Tomorrow" and "Someday".

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