ACS Global Outstanding Student and Mentor Award in Polymer Science and Engineering
Selected by ACS PMSE Committee and Sponsored by Chemical Marketing & Economics (CME)

2024
Domestic Award:
Student: Dr. Pamela Cai, Stanford University, USA (Postdoc U. Chicago)
Mentor: Professor Andy Spakowitz, Stanford
International Award:
Student: Dr. Laura Rijns, TU Eindhoven, Netherlands (Postdoc Stanford)
Mentor: Professor Patricia Dankers, TU Eindhoven

2023
Domestic Award:
Student: Dr. Alexandra Easley, Texas A&M, USA (Postdoc Cornell)
Mentor: Professor Jodie Lutkenhaus
International Award:
Student: Dr. Timur Ashirov, Universite de Fribourg, Switzerland
Mentor: Professor Ali Coskun, Mentor

2022
Domestic Award:
Student: Dr. Vivian Feig, Stanford University (Postdoc MIT), USA
Mentor: Professor Zhenan Bao
International Award:
Student: Dr. Spyridon Varlas, University of Birmingham (Postdoc University of Sheffield)
Mentor: Professor Rachel O’Reilly

Conceived & sponsored by CME and organized by PMSE

This Awards program is an outgrowth of the 2014 CME sponsorship program for students and mentors that was part of the formation of the first international chapter of its kind in South America, ACS Peru Chapter. Starting in 2018, the collaboration between CME and the Polymeric Materials: Science and Engineering (PMSE) Division resulted in the first annual Global Outstanding Student and Mentor Awards in Polymer Science and Engineering on April 1, 2019, at the Third Annual CME NASA Symposium-the first symposium to ever receive the endorsement of all 31 technical divisions active at the national meetings of one of the world’s largest scientific societies.

Purpose
The purpose of the award is to disseminate globally the latest knowledge of polymer research and to recognize at the international meeting not just two winning students, one from USA and one from anywhere in the world, but also their mentors. Sponsored by the Chemical Marketing & Economics, Inc. (CME), the Awards co-organized by CME and the Polymeric Materials: Science and Engineering (PMSE) Division recognize graduate students within one year to graduation or a recent graduate who has completed an outstanding thesis in polymer research accepted by a university during the three-year period prior to January 1 of the award year.

Nature
Each of the two student award winners will receive a $7,500 cash prize and a commemorative plaque to be presented at the CME Symposium, and when possible in the PMSE Division Awards Reception, in the selected National Meeting of the Award year. The mentor of the student will receive a plaque and be recognized in the promotional materials. The Award does not cover any expenses for the student or mentor who attend the meeting. An eligible mentor is the thesis advisor, the department chair, the university president, or an officer of the country’s chemical society.

History
The inaugural Award was presented on Monday, April 1, 2019, as part of the Third CME NASA Symposium at the ACS 2019 Spring National Meeting. Awards were presented during the Fourth CME NASA Symposium ACS Fall 2021 (Monday, August 23) and thereafter. Past Selection Committee Members include Nobel Laureate Prof. Ben Feringa, Prof. Bert Meijer, Prof. Takuzo Aida, and Prof. Honggang Cui. For more information on the symposiums go to the events webpage of this website.

Eligibility
The students and mentors to be recognized must have made significant contributions to polymer science and engineering. There are no fees to make a nomination. Present members of the Board of Directors of CME and PMSE, or the award selection committee members, and their respective staff and contractors, are ineligible for this award. The award committee of PMSE will select the recipient.

Nomination Process
Nominations must be made by the university thesis supervisor or by others familiar with the nominee’s work. Nominating documents must be in English and include the nominee’s biography (full CV), a synopsis of the work, a letter of recommendation from the thesis advisor, up to two supporting documents (e.g. additional letters of recommendation from collaborators or thesis-relevant publications), and a passport valid for two years and eligibility for USA entry visa. Nominees will be judged by a selection committee for the quality and the impact of the research.

For additional information send an email to lkorley@udel.edu