The prize has been proposed during the "International Workshop on Paolo Farinella, the scientist and the man", held in Pisa in 2010, and is supported by the following Italian Institutions: University of Pisa, ASI, INAF, IFAC-CNR.

Previous recipients of the “Paolo Farinella Prize” were:

• 2011: William F. Bottke, for his contribution to the field of "Physics and dynamics of small solar system bodies"
• 2012: John Chambers, for his contribution to the field of "Formation and early evolution of the solar system "
• 2013: Patrick Michel, for his contribution to the field of " Collisional processes in the Solar System”
• 2014: David Vokrouhlicky, for his contribution to the field of "Non gravitational forces in the Solar System”
• 2015: Nicolas Biver, for his contribution to the field of “Dynamics and physics of comets”
• 2016: Kleomenis Tsiganis, for his contribution to the field of “Applications of celestial mechanics to the natural bodies of our solar system”.

For the 7th "Paolo Farinella" Prize the terms and rules are as follows:

1. A competition is announced to award the "Paolo Farinella" Prize for the year 2017. The prize consists of a plate, a certificate and the amount of 1500 €. The winner is expected to give a Prize lecture at the EPSC awards special session.

2. The winner will be selected on the basis of his/her overall research results in the field of "Physics and dynamics of the inner planets of the solar system and their satellites".

3. Nominations must be sent by email not later than May 25th, 2017, to the following addresses: dimartino@oato.inaf.it and david.lucchesi@iaps.inaf.it

4. The nominations for the "Paolo Farinella" Prize can be made by any researcher that works in the field of planetary sciences following the indications in the attached form. Self nominations are acceptable. The candidates should have international and interdisciplinary collaborations and should be not older than 47 years, the age of Paolo when he passed away, at the date of April 30th, 2017.

5. The winner of the prize will be selected before June 15th, 2017 by the "Paolo Farinella" Prize Committee composed of outstanding scientists in planetary sciences, with specific experience in the field.

6. The Prize Committee will consider all the nominations, but will be entitled to autonomously consider other candidates in case the reported candidates do not meet criteria 2. and 4.