2025 Colloid and Surface Technology Award

The award was established in 2020 by the ACS Division of Colloid and Surface Chemistry.

Nomination Deadline: January 31, 2025

Purpose

To recognize and encourage applied and translational work in colloid and surface science by individuals or small teams of researchers (typically 2-4) in industry, government laboratories, or academia.

Each winner will receive:

• An award plaque
• An honorarium of US $3,000
• Up to US $1,000 in travel and accommodations funding to attend and present at ACS Fall 2025

Rules of Eligibility

Researchers in industry, government laboratories, or academia are eligible to apply. Special consideration is given to the originality and creativity of the research leading to the process or product developed and to its impact on society.

Nomination

Nomination may be made by a colleague or anyone familiar with the nominee’s work. The nomination packet should be sent by email, as a single PDF file, to helgeson@engineering.ucsb.edu. Please include “Technology Award Nomination” in the subject line. The single PDF file should contain the nomination letter, two letters of support from others (with preferably at least one letter from an industry or government laboratory researcher) in addition to the nomination letter, the curriculum vita of each team member, and a list of five supporting documents (e.g., patents, publications, press releases, description of founder role in new company, description of a new product or technology, website URL) that demonstrate societal impact of the relevant colloid and surface technology advance. The nomination letter should contain a carefully edited 25-word citation, which reflects the technological advance. Previous years’ nominations will be automatically renewed for two additional years, but you are encouraged to submit relevant updated material. Self-nominations are discouraged.

Ciriteria

The judges will consider the innovative nature of the technology (process or product), and the extent of demonstrated societal impact.

Nominate an outstanding undergraduate! Nomination deadline is 10 days before the Call for Papers deadline for each national meeting.

We invite undergraduate students and advisors from PUI (Primarily Undergraduate Institution) to contribute to the standing symposia of the Colloid and Surface Chemistry division:

• Nanomaterials
• Surface Chemistry
• Basic Research in Colloids, Surfactants and Interfaces
• Biomaterials and Biointerfaces

One student abstract will be selected for an oral presentation in each of these four symposia.  The others would be invited to present their work as a poster at the national meeting.

The award (one for each of the four symposia above) will consist of:

• Student registration fee for the national meeting
• Travel support for the student ($200)
• Student and advisor will be invited to Colloid and Surface Chemistry division luncheon
• Award certificate for student and advisor (presented at the luncheon)

Application and selection process

The application consists of two parts:

• Abstract
• Nomination letter from research advisor explaining why the student would deliver a good presentation. The letter should clearly indicate the intended target symposium (see list above).

Both of these should be submitted via the link below 10 days before the call for papers deadline.  

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1eior1jMlAlzogwp1iLYf0E03Bo3ddVVEwEl1ADKlRcQ/edit 

Notifications of acceptance will be sent the day before the call for papers deadline. 

Eric Borguet and Lorena Tribe

COLL PUI Student Award Organizers

ACS Colloid and Surface Science Travel Awards

COLL will award several travel grants of up to $500 per PhD graduate student or postdoctoral researcher as the first author of contributed oral presentations in sessions sponsored by COLL at an ACS Spring or Fall National Meeting. Applicants will be chosen on the basis of the quality of their work as evidenced by the abstract of the paper, a letter of support from their academic advisor and the travel distance. Applicants must be PhD students or postdocs at the time of the National Meeting. Applications from individuals from groups underrepresented in STEM fields are particularly encouraged.

Both student/postdoc and advisor, domestic or foreign, must be members of COLL, not just of ACS. New members can sign up via the ACS website and are encouraged to do so before the application deadline, for verification purposes. A student may only receive a COLL Travel Award once during their PhD and postdoc.

Use an application from the link below. No more than one student/postdoc from one advisor may apply. If successful, an awardee must furnish a social security number (or equivalent) for tax purposes. A signed supporting letter from the mentor of the student or postdoc must be included with the application along with a 2 page CV.

Application Form (PDF)

The advisor should submit all application forms, 2 page CV, and supporting letter, as attachments, via email to Matthew Helgeson at helgeson@ucsb.edu by February 14, 2024 (5 p.m. EST). Please convert both the application and signed supporting letter into a SINGLE PDF file, if possible. Please personalize the subject of the application email by “Smith_J_COLL-STA-2024 Spring”, ideally as a single PDF file called Smith_J_COLL-STA-2024 Spring.pdf, where “Smith_J” should be replaced by the first initial and last name of the applicant.

(Only applications with all required information included in ONE EMAIL will be considered. Incomplete applications will be returned for resubmission in entirety.)

Decisions for the awards will be sent by email to the applicants before the ACS National Meetings with instructions on how to receive reimbursement checks.