Awards Committee

The Awards Committee oversees all society awards according to policies approved by the Board of Directors, arranges for the preparation and presentation of awards, and oversees publicity for all awards.

Chair: Lia Stanciu, Purdue University 
HQ Members: Mallory Starr, MRS Director of Finance and Administration, Lorri Smiley, MRS Student Engagement and Awards Administrator

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Awards Subcommittees

Co-Chair: David Stepp, U.S. Army Research Office
Co-Chair: Hongyou Fan, Sandia National Laboratory 
HQ Liaison: Lorri Smiley, MRS Student Engagement and Awards Administrator

The Graduate Student Award Subcommittee receives applications for Graduate Student Awards, selects finalists to present papers at society meetings and oversees the subsequent designation of Gold and Silver Awards and special GSA awards such as the Arthur Nowick Graduate Student Award.

Roster

Chair: Rudolf M. Tromp, IBM T.J. Watson Research Center
HQ Liaison: Lorri Smiley, MRS Student Engagement and Awards Administrator

The Innovation in Materials Characterization Award Subcommittee receives, reviews and evaluates nominations for the Innovation in Materials Characterization Award,  selects a recipient and submits its recommendation to the Board of Directors for ratification. 

Roster

Chair: Reshef Tenne, Weizmann Institute of Science
HQ Liaison: Lorri Smiley, MRS Student Engagement and Awards Administrator

The Kavli Foundation Early Career Lectureship in Materials Science Subcommittee receives, reviews and evaluates nominations for The Kavli Foundation Early Career Lectureship in Materials Science and submits its recommendations to the Board of Directors for ratification.  

Chair: Long-Qing Chen, Pennsylvania State University
HQ Liaison: Lorri Smiley, MRS Student Engagement and Awards Administrator 

The Materials Theory Award Subcommittee receives, reviews and evaluates nominations for the Materials Theory Award, selects a recipient and submits its recommendation to the Board of Directors for ratification.   

Roster

Chair: TBD
HQ Liaison: Lorri Smiley, MRS Student Engagement and Awards Administrator 

The Mid-Career Researcher Award Subcommittee receives, reviews and evaluates nominations for the Mid-Career Research Award, selects a recipient and submits its recommendation to the Board of Directors for ratification.

Roster

Chair: Sudipta Seal, University of Central Florida
HQ Liaison: Lorri Smiley, MRS Student Engagement and Awards Administrator

The MRS Fellow Subcommittee receives, reviews and evaluates nominations for the MRS Fellow program and submits its recommendations to the Board of Directors for ratification.

Roster

Chair: Michael Falk, Johns Hopkins University
HQ Liaison: Lorri Smiley, MRS Student Engagement and Awards Administrator

The MRS Impact Award Subcommittee receives, reviews and evaluates nominations for the MRS Impact Award and submits its recommendations to the Board of Directors for ratification.    

Roster

Chair: Hongyou Fan, University of New Mexico and Sandia National Laboratories
HQ Liaison: Lorri Smiley, MRS Student Engagement and Awards Administrator

The MRS Medal Subcommittee receives, reviews and evaluates nominations for the MRS Medal award(s), selects a recipient(s) and submits its recommendation to the Board of Directors for ratification. 

Roster

Chair: Sheng Xu, University of California, San Diego
HQ Liaison: Lorri Smiley, MRS Student Engagement and Awards Administrator

The Outstanding Early-Career Investigator Subcommittee receives, reviews and evaluates nominations for the Outstanding Early-Career Investigator award, selects a recipient and submits its recommendation to the Board of Directors for ratification.  

Roster

Chair: Nathan Nesbitt, NREL
HQ Liaison: Lorri Smiley, MRS Student Engagement and Awards Administrator

The MRS Nelson “Buck” Robinson Science And Technology Award For Renewable Energy Subcommittee receives, reviews and evaluates applications for the MRS Nelson “Buck” Robinson Science And Technology Award For Renewable Energy, selects a recipient and submits its recommendation to the Board of Directors for ratification.   

Roster

Chair: Xiaolin Li, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
HQ Liaison: Lorri Smiley, MRS Student Engagement and Awards Administrator

The Postdoctoral Award Subcommittee receives, reviews and evaluates nominations for the Postdoctoral Award, selects a recipient and submits its recommendation to the Board of Directors for ratification.

Roster

Chair: Erica Lilleodden, Fraunhofer Institute for Microstructure of Materials and Systems IMWS
HQ Liaison: Lorri Smiley, MRS Student Engagement and Awards Administrator

The Turnbull Lectureship Subcommittee receives, reviews and evaluates nominations for the Turnbull Lectureship, selects a recipient and submits its recommendation to the Board of Directors for ratification.

Roster

Chair: Matt Copel, IBM TJ Watson Research Center
HQ Liaison: Lorri Smiley, MRS Student Engagement and Awards Administrator 

The Von Hippel Award Subcommittee receives, reviews and evaluates nominations for the Von Hippel Award, selects a recipient and submits its recommendation to the Board of Directors for ratification.

Roster

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MRS/Optica Congressional Science and Engineering Fellowship

MRS and Optica offer a congressional fellowship for members to apply optical and materials science in government, promoting scientist-government collaboration and public policy learning. The 2024-25 Fellow is Shriya Pai, University of Colorado Boulder

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