M&M Awards and Travel Support

2012 Awards Recipients

In order to be considered for the DSA, PSA, PPA, Eric Samuel Scholarship, Robert P. Apkarian Scholarship, or the MSA Student Poster Award, the appropriate box must be checked on the paper submission site. The email address of the person providing the supporting letter must be provided as well. (That person will be contacted via email and asked to submit their support letter via email.)

Microscopy & Microanalysis Student Awards
Microscopy & Microanalysis Post-Doctoral Awards
Robert P. Apkarian Memorial Scholarship Award
Eric Samuel Scholarship
Professional Technical Staff Awards (MSA)
The Raleigh and Clara Miller Scholarship Award
MSA Micrograph Competition
Student Poster Award
International Metallographic Contest

Microscopy & Microanalysis Student Award

Sponsored by MSA and MAS

Criteria:

• Applicants must be bona fide students at a recognized college or university at the time of the meeting.
• Awards are based on the quality of the paper submitted for presentation at the meeting.
• Applicant must be the first author of the submitted paper.
• Successful applicants must present their papers personally at the meeting in order to receive their award.
• Awardees are expected to attend and participate in the entire meeting.
• Please note: Former winners are ineligible for another award.

Successful applicants will receive:

• Complimentary full-meeting registration to the M&M meeting (includes proceedings and social event ticket).
• Invitation to the Presidential Reception.
• Up to $1,000 for travel (lowest round trip domestic USA airfare).

Microscopy & Microanalysis Post-Doctoral Awards

Criteria:

• Applicants must be bona fide post-doctoral research associate at the time of the meeting.
• Awards are based on the quality of the paper submitted for presentation at the meeting.
• Applicant must be the first author of the submitted paper.
• Successful applicants must present their papers personally at the meeting in order to receive their award.
• Awardees are expected to attend and participate in the entire meeting.
• Please note: Former winners are ineligible for another award.

Successful applicants will receive:

• Complimentary full-meeting registration to the M&M meeting (includes proceedings and social event ticket).
• Invitation to the Presidential Reception.
• Up to $1,000 for travel (lowest round trip domestic USA airfare).

Robert P. Apkarian Memorial Scholarship Award

• Will provide support for two (2) post-doctoral research associates to attend the M&M meeting.
• One (1) award designated for biological sciences.
• One (1) award designated for materials science, education or instrumentation.

Criteria:

• Applicant must be a full-time, post-doctoral student (open to both domestic U.S. and international candidates).
• Submission procedures must be followed as indicated above for MSA Student Awards.
• A supporting letter must be received from a member of MSA, preferably the director or supervisor, attesting to the applicant's status.
• Applicant must be a current member of MSA at the time of submission.

Successful applicants will receive:

• Complimentary full registration for the M&M meeting (including proceedings & social event ticket).
• Invitation to the Presidents' Reception.
• Award plaque designating the Robert P. Apkarian Memorial Scholarship.
• Up to $1,000 for travel (lowest round trip domestic USA airfare).

Eric Samuel Scholarship

The Eric Samuel Award is sponsored by Oxford Instruments and is open to students as well as post-docs planning to attend the M&M conference. Applicants are expected to submit papers that demonstrate some innovative approach to nanoanalysis, with an emphasis on obtaining analytical information. For example, this could be development of a new analytical technique or a sample preparation method that enables new applications or novel materials to be tackled.

Criteria:

• Satisfy all criteria for Student Awards.
• Open to all bona fide undergraduate and graduate students and post-doctoral research associates.

Successful applicants will receive:

• Complimentary full meeting registration to the M&M meeting (including proceedings & social event ticket).
• Invitation to Presidents' Reception.
• Up to $1,500 for lodging and travel (lowest available round trip airfare).

Please note: Former winners are ineligible for another award.

Professional Technical Staff Awards (MSA)

The Professional Technical Staff Awards (PTSA) were created to stimulate attendance at the Annual Meeting of MSA for professional technical staff who ordinarily might not participate in a national meeting and to encourage supervisors to support their staff in professional activities.

Criteria:

• Awards are designated for professional technical staff.
• Applicants must be regular, current members of MSA at the time of submission.
• Awards are based on the quality of the paper submitted and are judged by the MSA Technologists' Forum.
• Applicant must be the first author of the submitted paper.
• Successful applicants must present their papers personally at the meeting in order to receive their award.
• Awardees are expected to attend and participate in the entire meeting.
• Please note: Former winners are ineligible for another award. This category also includes the Raleigh and Clara Miller Awards.

Successful applicants will receive:

• Complimentary full-meeting registration to the M&M meeting (includes proceedings and social event ticket).
• Up to $1,000 for travel/lodging/meeting expenses.
• Up to four awards will be distributed.

The Raleigh and Clara Miller Scholarship Award

This award is given to a deserving young person who performed the work while a student (undergraduate, graduate, postdoctoral). The amount is for up to $1000 to attend the annual meeting and give a platform presentation as a first author; preference is for biological topics, but materials and technical projects will be considered. The fund is provided by the family in honor of the parents of Dr. Sara Miller, past president of MSA. Both Raleigh and Clara Miller were keenly aware of the importance of education and strongly supported student activities.

Criteria:

• Applicant must be the first author of a paper submitted for platform presentation.
• Applicant must have been an undergraduate student, graduate student, or post-doctoral research associate when work to be presented was done.
• Preference is for biological topics, but materials and technical projects will be considered.

Successful applicants will receive:

• Complimentary full-meeting registration to the M&M meeting (includes proceedings and social event ticket).
• Invitation to the Presidential Reception.
• Up to $1,000 for travel (lowest round trip domestic USA airfare).

MSA Micrograph Competition

Held at the M&M Meeting each year, this micrograph competition promotes the innovative blending of art and science. Open to all forms of microscopic imaging, winners of this competition are selected on the basis of artistic merit and general audience appeal. A maximum of three (3) awards will be presented; First Prize: $200; Two Second Prizes: $50 each.

Criteria:

• Entries must be scientifically significant
• Entries must contain novel information useful in resolving a scientific issue, and/or
• Present established information in a way that dramatically enhances its comprehension or interpretation.

Rules:

1. Any individual may submit a maximum of two (2) entries (one award per entrant).
2. Each entry must have overall dimensions of 11" x 14" (horizontal or vertical), and be affixed to a stiff lightweight support (e.g. ¼" foam board). Micrographs may be mounted so that they have borders.
3. Each entry must have a separate text sheet with the title and a 200-word (max) description of the image, including the technique and its scientific significance. Text is recommended to be printed in 14-pt Times New Roman font on a separate 8&fract12;" x 11" sheet. Entrant's name, address and image title shall be posted on the back of the mounted entry.
4. Each entry must be brought to the meeting and mounted on the display boards by 12:00 noon Monday during the meeting.
5. Non-winning entries must be removed Thursday afternoon by 3:00 PM. Micrographs remaining after that time will be discarded.
6. Winners will be announced at the meeting. Submitted micrographs remain the property of the entrants subject to the conditions above. Electronic files should be sent to lkasabian@miscroscopy.org following the meeting so that they may be posted in the MSA Image Gallery.

Student Poster Awards

Presented for best student posters in categories of:

• Instrumentation & Techniques;
• Applications of Microscopy & Microanalysis — Biological Sciences;
• Applications of Microscopy & Microanalysis — Physical Sciences.

Daily prizes will be awarded in each category: First Prize: $400; Second Prize: $200

Criteria:

• The first author of each awarded paper must be a student (contact information must be provided for someone who can verify student status).
• Awardees' posters must be displayed at the M&M meeting from Monday through Thursday.

Diatome Awards
Sponsored by Diatome U.S., are presented for the posters illustrating the best use of diamond-knife ultramicrotomy in either the biological or physical sciences. First prize is a one-week, all-expense-paid trip to Switzerland for two. Second and third prizes are Swiss watches.

Awards from Sister Societies

International Metallographic Contest

Criteria:

• The contest embraces 11 classes representing various materials and methods revealing structure such as microphotography, optical and electron microscopy, and unique techniques.
• In general, an exhibit should tell a story about a problem and how it was solved.
• For complete requirements, detailed rules, and submission procedures, visit http://www.asminternational.org/portal/site/ims/Membership/Awards/

Prizes will be awarded in each category.
First Prize: $200;
Second Prize: $100;
Third Prize: $50;
Best in Show Prize: $3,000

All entries must be received by July 20, 2013 and should be sent to:

Brian Rose
Faurecia Emissions Control Technologies
Columbus Technical Center
950 W. 450 S., Building #1
Columbus, IN 47201 USA

If you would like to Email entries for Classes 9, 10, and 11 only, send to contest@metallography.net. Maximum file size is 10MB. Please use the highest quality images regarding bit depth, file size, and resolution. Images must be in one of the following formats: jpg (jpeg), gif, tif (tiff), bmp.

Please be sure to include your name, address, email address, company affiliation, phone number, AND the file name of the images you are submitting.