Protocol for the R. F. Bunshah Award and ICMCTF Lecture
 

Protocol for the R. F. Bunshah Award and ICMCTF Lecture

 

Purpose

R. F. Bunshah Award and Honorary ICMCTF lectureship is intended to recognize outstanding research or technological innovation in the areas of interest to the Advanced Surface Engineering Division (ASED) of the AVS, with emphasis in the fields of surface engineering, thin films, and related topics.

 

Eligibility

The nominee shall have made pioneering contributions to the science or technology of surface engineering, thin films, or related fields of interest to ASED. The Award shall be granted without further restriction except that the current ICMCTF General and Program Chairs and current members of the ASED Executive and Awards Committees are not eligible.

 

Past Recipients

 

Past recipients include: Wolf-Dieter Muenz, 2007; Steve Rossnagel, IBM, 2008; Ivan Petrov, University of Illinois, 2009; Helmut Holleck, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, 2010; and Stan Veprek, Technical University, Munich, Germany, 2011.

 

Nomination Procedure

A nomination may be made by anyone qualified to evaluate, highlight, and validate the nominee's accomplishments. Any individual may submit one nominating or seconding letter for the award in any given year. The nomination packages MUST include the following.

 

Nomination Letter: The letter nominating an individual for an award must describe the work for which the award is proposed and indicate the role the work has played in solving particular scientific or technological problems. The significance of these problems and the impact of the nominee's accomplishments in the field should be discussed. If the work was performed in collaboration with others, the contributions of the nominee should be clearly stated. A proposed citation, a one-sentence synopsis of the reason for selecting the nominee, and a list of individuals sending supporting letters, must also be included. The nominating letter should not exceed two pages in length, but should be as detailed as possible to allow the Award Committee to evaluate the nominee's contributions.

 

Supporting Letters: A minimum of two and a maximum of five supporting letters must be arranged by the nominator. Typically, the letters should not exceed one page. Their main purpose is to endorse the nomination and to provide additional evidence of the nominee's accomplishments. The supporting letters should be written by individuals at institutions other than that of the nominee.

 

Description of Research Highlights: A two-page summary of research accomplishments citing key papers and patents must be included. The purpose of the material is to document the scope of a nominee's technical career, placing in context the specific work being nominated for the award.

 

Biographical Materials: A Curriculum Vitae or biographical sketch of the nominee and a list of publications and patents must be submitted.

 

Nominations remain active for three years.

 

Nature of the Award

The award consists of a $1500 cash award, an engraved statuette and an honorary lectureship at the ICMCTF conference at which the award is presented. This award is conferred annually, subject to availability of suitable candidates. The Award Recipient shall receive complimentary meeting registration, travel expenses up to $1500, and up to six nights lodging at the Town and Country Hotel.

 

Nomination Submission and Deadline: October 1, 2011

All nomination materials must be compiled by the nominator and submitted as one package. The complete nomination package is to be sent electronically to the current Chair of the ASED Awards Committee (asedawards@avs.org) such that it is received by October 1, 2011. Late or incomplete application packages will not be evaluated.

 

ASED Awards website

http://www2.avs.org/divisions/ased/

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Protocol for the ICMCTF Graduate Student Awards

Purpose

The ICMCTF Graduate Student Awards are intended to honor and encourage outstanding graduate students in fields of interest to the Advanced Surface Engineering Division (ASED) of the AVS. ASED seeks to recognize students of exceptional ability who show promise for significant future achievement in ASED-related fields. 

Eligibility

The nominee must be:

  • a graduate student in science or engineering who is in good standing at a University with a recognized graduate degree program

  • the presenting author of an oral presentation at the annual ICMCTF conference.

Nominees who receive their final research degree after the ICMCTF Abstract Submission deadline are still eligible for that year. However, previous Graduate Student Award winners are ineligible.

Nomination Procedure

The Student's Advisor must submit the following items to the current Chair of the ASED Awards Committee by the Abstract Submission deadline, October 1, 2011 for the upcoming annual ICMCTF Conference (late or incomplete applications will not be evaluated):

  • a completed application form can be downloaded from the ASED website: http://www2.avs.org/divisions/ased/

  • one copy of the abstract that has been submitted separately to the ICMCTF Conference

  • a two-page description of research associated with the abstract to be considered for the award, including a clear, concise description of the:

    • aim of the work and its relationship to the status of the field
    • a summary of the applicant's specific contributions and how they demonstrate exceptional ability and future promise
    • a summary of significant results of the work and how they relate to the specific research area
    • a list of any publications authored by the applicant that are relevant to this research.

  • a resume which includes a list of publications with complete citations; a list of fellowships, scholarships, and/or other honors received; a list of past employment with dates; a list of technical/professional organizations, including AVS, in which you are a member; other activities or relevant information

  • an Advisor's Student Evaluation Form completed by the student's advisor; please download the form from the ASED website: http://www2.avs.org/divisions/ased/

  • a recommendation letter from the student's advisor(s).

Selection Process

Graduate Student Award Applications are accepted from graduate students who authored or co-authored a submitted abstract that is accepted for the current ICMCTF Conference. Applications are reviewed by the ASED Awards Committee and up to three finalists are selected. At the ICMCTF Conference, the finalists will present oral presentations which will be scheduled in an appropriate symposium on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday of the Conference week. The Awards Committee will meet and have discussions with the finalists. The committee will attend their presentations in order to evaluate for the Gold, Silver, and Bronze ASED Graduate Student Awards based upon: (1) the quality of their application materials and (2) the quality and professionalism of their presentation and discussion.

Selection Criteria

In the selection of finalists and award recipients, the judges look for evidence of:

  • Excellence in scholarly research, including
    • thoroughness of the applicant’s work
    • originality and independence of the applicant’s contributions
    • depth of understanding of the research topic, the methodologies used, and the relationship of the results to the specific research area and the broader field
    • scholarship and ingenuity shown by the student in attacking the research project
  • Promise for future substantial achievement in research fields of interest to ASED.

Nature of the Award

The finalists receive Gold, Silver, or Bronze ASED Graduate Student Awards, a cash prize, and a certificate. In addition, they also receive travel support of up to $500 to attend the ICMCTF conference, complimentary meeting registration, and up to six nights lodging at the Town and Country Hotel. The Awards are presented at the ICMCTF Conference and announced in the AVS Newsletter and on the ASED website. The cash prizes consist of $400, $300, and $250 for the Gold, Silver, and Bronze recipients. 

Nomination Submission and Deadline: October 1, 2011

All nomination materials must be compiled by the nominee's advisor and submitted as one package. The complete nomination package is to be sent electronically to the current Chair of the ASED Awards Committee (asedawards@avs.org) such that it is received by the ICMCTF Abstract Submission deadline, October 1, 2011. Late or incomplete applications will not be evaluated.

 

ASED Awards website

http://www2.avs.org/divisions/ased/