Impact Award in Computational Molecular Science and Engineering

Purpose: This award recognizes outstanding research in computational molecular science and engineering, encompassing both methods and applications. Nominees may hold positions in academia, industry, or a government lab, and must be within 15 years of completion of their highest degree (e.g., someone receiving a PhD degree in 2000 is eligible for the award through 2015).

Requirement: Nominees must be current members of CoMSEF. The CoMSEF Chair and Vice-Chair are ineligible for nomination while they hold these offices. Other CoMSEF officers are eligible for nomination. If a CoMSEF vice-chair or chair loses their eligibility (i.e., reaches 15 years since completion of their highest degree) while they are currently serving in the role of vice-chair or chair, one additional year of eligibility will be granted after completing their CoMSEF service. However, in no case will the total years of eligibility be extended beyond 17 years (e.g., (1) someone elected as vice-chair with 12 years since completion of their highest degree will finish their 4 year term as vice-chair and chair and come up for the next Impact Award with 17 years since completion of highest degree and would be eligible, (2) someone elected as vice-chair with 13 years since completion of their highest degree will finish their 4 year term as vice-chair and chair and come up for the next Impact Award with 18 years since completion of highest degree and would not be eligible). An additional year of eligibility will be granted for up to two cases of a qualifying life event such as the birth or adoption of a child or extended care of a sick family member, up to a maximum of 17 years since completion of their highest degree for the impact award, and up to a maximum of 9 years since completion of their highest degree for the young investigator award. Note: For eligibility extension, all other life events, including COVID, that would have caused you a personal hardship and delayed you relative to peers would be considered on a case-to-case basis.

Nomination process: A single nomination package consisting of the AIChE Division or Forum Award Nomination Form, the nominee's CV, a nomination letter (typically from the nominee's department chair or supervisor), two supporting letters of recommendation, and the proof of CoMSEF membership should be submitted as a single pdf file to the CoMSEF chair (chair@comsef.org). The nomination should provide a clear statement as to the impact of the nominees work on the field and an award citation of 25 words or less, beginning with the word 'For'. Self-nominations are discouraged. Call for nominations will coincide with the announcement of the AIChE Annual Meeting's call for papers. If additional years of eligibility are requested, it is the responsibility of the nominator to provide a brief description of the life event, and the number of years of eligibility extension requested. The CoMSEF Chair and Vice-Chair will review the extension request prior to the award selection process and, as needed, request additional information to ensure that the eligibility is in line with typical standards used at Universities in the US. (i.e., all eligible members, whether from industry, national lab or academia, will receive the same ‘clock extension’ provision for life events that are typically provided to tenure track faculty). Deadline for receipt of nominations will be May 1st annually.

Renomination of candidates is encouraged. It is recommended but not required that the contents of the nomination package be updated each year; while supporting letters may be re-used, the nomination form must have current dates.

Selection process: An ad hoc selection committee consisting of the current CoMSEF chair, the CoMSEF vice-chair and two representatives drawn from related organizations (e.g., area 1a committee, CACHE trustees) will choose the winner based on the overall strength of the research accomplishments of the candidate. A decision regarding the winner of the award will be made by July 1st in order to allow for the award winner to appear in promotional material for the annual meeting.

The award will be presented at the Annual Meeting and the awardee is expected to give a invited talk in the CoMSEF plenary session at the annual meeting.

Frequency: Awarded annually

Prize: A plaque and a cash award

Past Winners