Composite Manufacturing Emerging Innovator Award Established in 2023, SME’s Composite Manufacturing Emerging Innovator Award recognizes an individual who has led or actively supported and participated in advancing manufacturing technology into or near production or who has had a significant impact on composite part manufacturing. The award is intended to focus on emerging leaders in Composites Manufacturing with interest in helping others. This internationally eligible award spans the composites manufacturing industry, including aerospace and automotive component manufacturing, fabrication, layup, curing, automation, and inspection, etc.. We are searching for individuals whose superb technical work holds great promise to shape the next decades and that are interested in contributing to the industrial community. Winners are selected with consideration for the scope and scale of benefits realized and the potential future impact their work will have on the industry. As the name suggests, the award recognizes early career achievements that show great promise or that have been implemented or deployed in a commercial/industrial production environment rather than research investigative work. Submit Your Nomination Deadline: February 3, 2025 (11:59 PM EST) Evaluation Period: February 4 through February 16, 2025Winners Notified: Week of February 17, 2025 How is the winner chosen? Nominations are submitted through the SME website – using a nomination form. SME’s Composites Manufacturing Community Advisors review the nominees, then solicit additional information from each nominee via phone interview, references, and other supplemental information. A distinguished panel of judges evaluate the nominees based on this information. The judging committee will select the final honoree based on these judgments. Composites Emerging Innovator Award Nominations will be considered based upon the following criteria Expand / Collapse All 1. Is the idea or concept with emphasis on production manufacturing or technology (35 pts)keyboard_arrow_down Nominee demonstrated innovation, which resulted in an idea implemented into production. Idea or concept to implemented in a production environment. Research papers or concepts not matured to production should not be considered. 2. Financial impact of the idea or concept including, circular economy ramifications (20 pts)keyboard_arrow_down The idea or concept resulted in reduction of manufacturing costs. An idea may have significantly improve yield or reduce scrap/waste. Impact may also be shown via traditional financial metrics such as payback period, return on investment, etc. Finally, ideas that contribute to a circular economy, such as recycling, may have a significant impact with far reaching cost savings that are difficult to measure. 3. Novelty of the idea or concept (15 pts)keyboard_arrow_down Nominee demonstrated creativity. Another element of novelty can be the ability to proliferate the idea or concept across multiple production environments or industries. 4. Interest and history of applicant helping others through volunteering and other similar activities (15pts)keyboard_arrow_down A key element of this award is a perspective beyond one's immediate self, someone with a pre-disposition or demonstrated history of helping others. 5. Age of applicant with preference given to those under age 40 (15 pts)keyboard_arrow_down As suggest in the title by the word Emerging, preference is desired for early career candidates that can help grow interest in SME and the award by other early career individuals. What are you looking for in the nominee description? This should be a 150-word summary of the technical work for which you believe the nominee deserves recognition, including an explanation of its impact, both within the nominee's field and worldwide. Who should be listed as references? Although not required, it is recommended that the nomination additional names of references who can speak to the nominee’s excellence. These could be advisors, supervisors, coworkers or colleagues at other institutions who are familiar with the nominee's work and who are able to describe the work and its importance. These people should be willing and able to provide a short (approximately one-page) letter in support of the nominee at the judges’ request. Does the award winner have to be from the U.S.? No. The nominees can come from startups, large companies, government agencies and nonprofits, as well as from universities around the world. We encourage nominations from institutions of all types. Are self-nominations accepted? Yes, self-nominations are accepted for this award. What they receive Press release and feature in SME magazine – given the criteria and the name of the award, with a short bio be included featuring the Emerging Innovator Reasonable expenses (flight, hotel, meals) paid for 2 years to attend SME Composite meeting/events (one per year) On stage introduction of the Emerging Innovator winner for the next year Participation on the review panel for Emerging Innovator Award for two years Plaque SME Membership and 2 additional SME memberships (identification of 2 Composites technical emerging leaders)
