Purpose: To recognize and encourage accomplishments and/or innovation of unusual merit in the field of basic or applied polymer science by younger scientists.

Nature: The award consists of a plaque and an honorarium of $2000. The award is usually presented biennially in odd-numbered years at the Spring meeting of the Polymer Chemistry Division. The recipient is expected to present an address at a symposium organized in his/her honor. Reasonable travel expenses to the meeting are paid in addition to the honorarium.

Establishment and Support: The award was established in 1980 and was sponsored by the Rohm and Haas Company through 2009. It is currently (2011) supported by Albermarle.

Previous Recipients: Lewis J. Fetters, Wayne L. Mattice, Edwin L. Thomas, Garth L. Wilkes, Robert S. Langer, David A. Tirrell, Sukant Tripathy, Krzysztof Matyjaszewski, Bruce Novak, Joseph M. DeSimone, Craig J. Hawker, James L. Hedrick, Timothy M. Swager, Anne Mayes, Geoffrey W. Coates, and Marc Hillmyer.

Rules for Eligibility: A nominee must be a member or affiliate of the ACS Division of Polymer Chemistry at the time of nomination, must have accomplished outstanding work in basic or applied polymer science, and shall not have reached his/her 45th birthday on January 1 of the year of the award. The award shall be granted to an individual without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, religion, disability, or sexual orientation.

Nomination Procedure: All submission and review of nominating documents is now being handled electronically. The nominating package, including a synopsis of the accomplishments of the nominee, a curriculum vitae, and a maximum of five reprints or other supplementary material, shall be submitted electronically as pdf files to the Awards Chairman for distribution to the selection committee. A maximum of three supporting letters, which contain factual information about the candidate not provided in the nominating document may be submitted. A single pdf file containing all the nominating and supporting information is preferred but separate pdf files are acceptable. Nominators are asked to avoid excessively lengthy nomination packages and adhere to a 100 page limit for the entire package.

The nomination and its accompanying material for the 2013 award must be received by the Awards Chair no later than July 1, 2012. Email nominating material to:  Professor Thomas A. P. Seery, Institute of Materials Science, U-136, University of Connecticut, 97 North Eagleville Road, Storrs, CT 06269-3136, seery@mail.ims.uconn.edu.