Nomination Information

The Von Hippel Award recognizes those qualities most prized by materials scientists and engineers—brilliance and originality of intellect, combined with vision that transcends the boundaries of conventional scientific disciplines.

The Award

The Von Hippel Award includes a $10,000 cash prize, honorary membership in MRS and a unique trophy—a mounted ruby laser crystal symbolizing the many-faceted nature of materials research.

The award is presented annually at the MRS Fall Meeting where the recipient is invited to speak at the Awards Ceremony. The recipient will have registration fees and reasonable travel expenses paid in order to attend the meeting.

Administration

The Von Hippel Award is managed by the Von Hippel Subcommittee of the MRS Awards Committee. This subcommittee is responsible for soliciting and evaluating nominations annually and for recommending a nominee to MRS Board for final approval or recommending that no award be made.

Rules and Eligibility

Nominees for the Von Hippel Award must have outstanding credentials: their scientific work must have had a significant impact on materials research, and it must have exemplified an interdisciplinary approach. The scientific discipline of the nominee is of no concern except that the work must have been in areas commonly associated with materials research. The nominee does not need to be a member of the Materials Research Society and nominees of any nationality are eligible. It is not necessary for the nominee to have previously won other major awards. The Von Hippel is presented at the MRS Fall Meeting. The award will not be bestowed in absentia except in extraordinary circumstances. Current members of the Von Hippel Subcommittee, MRS Board members and former recipients of the Von Hippel Award are not eligible.

Nomination Submission Information

The nomination will be submitted through the MRS Awards Nomination Submission Website portal. The nominator will use their MRS Customer ID and Login information to access the system.

The following is required for nomination for the Von Hippel Award:

Nominee and Nominator Information
The Nominator will enter the following into the online form:
Full name, organization, mailing address, email address, telephone number.
Proposed citation
The proposed citation must be less than 40 words and entered into the online form.
Summarize the achievements upon which the nomination is based, avoiding flowery descriptors such as seminal, world class.
Nominator Statement (two pages maximum)
This statement will include information supporting the candidate's suitability for the award with respect to:
a. Interdisciplinary character of the candidate's work,
b. Manner in which the candidate's work spans basic and applied science, and
c. Impact of the candidate's work within and outside his/her immediate professional field.
Wherever possible, this statement should cite evidence rather than opinion or intuition. Further pertinent information may be added.
Supporting Documentation (six pages maximum)
a. Lists of the candidate's professional appointments held, honors, awards, patents
b. Separate list of the most important publications, papers and books
Three letters of support from established scientists.
Letters should include explicit reference to the three criteria of item 3 above.
Letters should be uploaded to the submission system, or, if absolutely necessary, letters may be sent directly here. If a letter must be sent separately, you must upload a PDF document file which will include the name letter of support writer, along with email address. This document, as a placeholder, will allow you to make the submission. A letter should be on official letterhead and include the signature of the writer. Each letter should not exceed 3 pages.

In preparing nominations, the nominator should bear in mind that the nominees for this award should have made outstanding contributions to our profession. Further, since a poorly-prepared nomination for an outstanding individual would constitute a disservice to that person, it is important that the nomination package truly reflect the accomplishments and stature of the nominee.

Nominations will remain active for three years. You may update the nomination each year by logging into the MRS Award nomination submission system.
Submission Procedure
The portal for submitting an MRS Award nomination will open and close on the published date¹ of each award. The nominator will use their MRS website credentials to access the system. Previously submitted nominations may also be updated in the system by using the nominator’s login information. Nominations are active for three years and may be updated each year.

Please contact Lorri Smiley should you have technical difficulties or other submission concerns.

NOTE:¹ If an Award nomination deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, the submission deadline will then default to the following business day at 11:59 p.m.