The Quantum Shorts 2021 Flash Fiction Contest

The 2021 Quantum Shorts Flash Fiction Competition is now open to submissions. The contest, hosted by the Centre for Quantum Technologies and the National University of Singapore, is open to stories up to 1,000 words that are inspired by quantum physics.

Contest may be entered in or from any country worldwide.

Who is Eligible for the 2021 Quantum Shorts Flash Fiction

•  The Contest is open to individuals who are age 13 and over as of the date of entry.
• it is a worldwide competition

How to Enter

• To enter, visit shorts.quantumlah.org
• Create an account on the website, and then submit your entry by typing or pasting your short story into the online form and completing the required fields.
• Only online submissions will be accepted.
• All entry information and short stories shall be collectively referred to herein as the “Submissions” or each as a “Submission.”  Submissions must comply with the Guidelines and Restrictions defined below.  Organizer reserves the right to cancel or modify this Contest in the event an insufficient number of entries are received that meet the minimum judging criteria.
• All entrants must have a valid email address. No automated entry devices and/or programs permitted.
• Receipt of entries will not be acknowledged. Organizer is not responsible for lost, late, illegible, stolen, incomplete, invalid, unintelligible, technically corrupted or garbled entries, which will be disqualified, or for problems of any kind whether mechanical, human or electronic.
•   Only fully completed entry forms are eligible.  Proof of submission will not be deemed to be proof of receipt by Organizer.
• Start/End Dates. Contest begins at 08.00.01 AM GMT on October 5, 2021 and ends at 11:59:59 PM GMT on December 16, 2021 (“Contest Period”).

Submission Guidelines and Content Restrictions

By entering, each entrant confirms that his or her Submission conforms to the Submission Guidelines and Content Restrictions as defined below (collectively, the “Guidelines and Restrictions”) and agrees that Organizer, in its sole discretion, may remove any Submission and disqualify an entrant from the Contest if it believes, in its sole discretion, that the entrant’s Submission fails to conform to the Guidelines and Restrictions.

• The Submission must not exceed 1000 words in length.
• The Submission must be clearly inspired by some aspect of quantum physics.
• The Submission must include the sentence “It’s a lot to think about” (“Constraint”)
• The Submission must be in English.
• The Submission must be typed or copied and pasted into the entry form at the time of entry.

Restrictions:

• The Submission must be 100% original and entrant must be the sole and exclusive owner and copyright holder of the Submission;
• The Submission is eligible after prior publication only if the first publication date was after 1 December 2019;
• The Submission must not contain material that violates or infringes any rights of any other party, including but not limited to copyright, trademark, privacy, publicity or any other intellectual property rights;
• The Submission must be suitable for general audiences;
• The Submission must not in any way disparage Organizer, Media Partners, Scientific Partners, or any other person or party;
• The Submission must not contain material that is inappropriate, indecent, obscene, hateful, tortious, defamatory, slanderous or libelous;
• The Submission must not contain material that promotes bigotry, racism, hatred or harm against any group or individual or promotes discrimination based on race, gender, religion, nationality, disability, sexual orientation or age;
• The Submission must not contain material that is unlawful, in violation of or contrary to the laws or regulations of the United States, Singapore or of any jurisdiction where Submission is created; and
• The Submission cannot promote illegal drugs or firearms (or the use of any of the foregoing), or any activities that may appear unsafe or dangerous, or any particular political agenda or message.
• Organizer’s decisions are final and binding in all matters relating to this Contest, including, but not limited to, interpretation and application of these Official Rules.  By entering the Contest, entrants fully and unconditionally agree to be bound by these rules and the decisions of the judges, which will be final and binding in all matters relating to the Contest.  Organizer reserves the right to select fewer than the stated number of prizes if, in its sole discretion, it does not receive a sufficient number of eligible and qualified Submissions.

 

 Prizes.

Up to thirteen (13) prizes (each, a “Prize”) will be awarded across the Contest.

1. Up to ten (10) stories will be shortlisted. A shortlist award of USD 100, a certificate and a one-year digital subscription to Scientific American will be awarded to each Shortlisted Entrant.
2. First prize: USD 1500 and an engraved trophy
3. Runner up: USD 1000 and an engraved trophy
4. People’s Choice Prize: USD 500 and an engraved trophy

Certificates and trophies will be shipped at no extra charge on provision of a postal address.

Total approximate retail value of all prizes: USD $4,300.

Prize(s) is/are non-transferable.  No substitutions.  In the case of unavailability of any prize, Organizer reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value.  All expenses not specifically listed herein are the responsibility of winner(s).  If any winner is considered a minor in his/her jurisdiction of residence, such prize will be delivered to minor’s parent/legal guardian and awarded in the name of parent/legal guardian who must agree in writing to be bound by these Official Rules.

7. Notification. Shortlisted Entrants will be notified by email before the end of March, 2022.  Potential Shortlisted Entrants may be required to execute and return an affirmation of eligibility, release of liability, and, except where prohibited, any necessary publicity release(s) (collectively, “Supporting Documents”) by email and certified mail with return receipt requested within five (5) business days of such notification. Noncompliance within this time period will result in disqualification and, at Organizer’s sole discretion, an alternate potential Shortlisted Entrant may be selected from the remaining eligible Submissions. If any potential Shortlisted Entrant cannot be reached, is found to be ineligible, cannot or does not comply with these Official Rules, or if any or prize notification is returned as undeliverable, potential Winner will be disqualified and time permitting, and at Organizer’s sole discretion, an alternate potential Winner may be selected from the remaining eligible Submissions. Upon prize forfeiture, no compensation will be given.