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Journal of Polymer Science Innovation Award

The Journal of Polymer Science Innovation Award recognizes significant research innovation and achievement in a polymer scientist under 40.

2024 Award Winner

Athina Anastasaki
ETH Zurich

Since its inception in 2012, the Journal of Polymer Science Innovation Award recognizes polymer scientists under the age of 40 and celebrates their significant research innovations and achievements in the field.  Winners are recognized at a symposium in association with PMSE at the ACS Fall meeting. The editors of the Journal of Polymer Science and the Polymeric Materials: Science and Engineering (PMSE) Division of the American Chemical Society (ACS) are delighted to present the 2024 Journal of Polymer Science Innovation Award to Prof. Dr. Athina Anastaski.

Athina was born and raised in Athens, Greece (with a very proud origin from Crete) and obtained her B.S. in Chemistry at the University of Athens. She then commenced her PhD studied with Professor Dave Haddleton at the University of Warwick and graduated in late 2014 with the Jon Weaver Award for the best PhD in Polymer Chemistry in the UK. In early 2015, she accepted a Monash-Warwick research fellow position between the Pharmaceutical department at Monash University and the University of Warwick, jointly supervised by Professor Thomas Davis and Professor Dave Haddleton. She then received an Elings Fellowship, followed by a Global Marie Curie Fellowship, to conduct research with Professor Craig Hawker at UCSB. Athina joined the Materials department of ETH in January 2019 as an Assistant Professor and her group focuses on polymer synthesis and chemical recycling.

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Award Details

The award consists of a symposium in association with the Polymeric Materials: Science and Engineering (PMSE) Division of the ACS and a dinner in recognition of the recipient at the ACS Fall meeting, a $5,000 prize, and travel expenses of up to $1,000 to the ACS Fall meeting for the award year. Award recipients will submit a Review, Highlight, or Perspective article based on the topic of their award lecture, which will be published in an ongoing Virtual Issue of Journal of Polymer Science.

History

Journal of Polymer Science founded this award in 2012 as a premiere award for young investigators in polymer science and engineering.

Nominations

Please see the Journal of Polymer Science nomination page for more details.

Past Recipients

Nominations and Award Process

Rules of Eligibility

he nominee must be 40 years of age or younger at the time the nomination period opens (October 1). Please note career interruptions, such as parental leave, will be taken into consideration when determining applicant eligibility – please detail circumstances for extension of the age limitations in the nomination letter. Nominations are welcome from all sectors of industry, government and academia.

Nominations Process and Award Selection

Journal of Polymer Science runs the official nomination and award selection process.

The Journal of Polymer Science nomination page will have the current information to submit a nominations package and submission email.

Awards are based on information from the nomination package detailed on the nomination page and an up-to-date CV of the nominee. Selections are made by a committee managed by the Journal of Polymer Science editors.

Award Announcement and Nature

Awardees will be notified before the deadline for submission of the abstracts for the fall ACS meeting.

The award consists of a symposium in association with the Polymeric Materials: Science and Engineering (PMSE) Division of the ACS and a dinner in recognition of the recipient at the ACS Fall meeting, a $5,000 prize, and travel expenses of up to $1,000 to the ACS Fall meeting for the award year. Awards are given to young scientists exploring exciting new fields in the chemistry and physics of polymer systems. Award recipients will submit a Review, Highlight, or Perspective article based on the topic of their award lecture, which will be published in an ongoing Virtual Issue of the Journal of Polymer Science.

About Journal of Polymer Science

Journal of Polymer Science publishes outstanding and in-depth research on all aspects of polymer science – both the core sub-disciplines and research at the frontiers of the field. The scope covers polymer chemistry, polymer physics, polymer engineering, as well as applied science, including biomedical applications; polymers for energy, the environment and sustainability; biomimetics; and smart devices.

Since its launch in 1946 by P. M. Doty, H. Mark, and C.C. Price, the Journal of Polymer Science has served the community as a forum for fundamental research on synthesis, chemistry, physics, and engineering of polymers. It ever evolved into a few sister journals to pace the development rhythm of polymer science.

From January 2020, the Journal of Polymer Science, Part A: Polymer Chemistry and Journal of Polymer Science, Part B: Polymer Physics are published as the single original title, the Journal of Polymer Science. It aims to provide a unified, inclusive, and dynamic forum for this rapidly developing multidisciplinary area. With a continuous value deemed to the chemistry, physics and engineering of polymers, it will extend its coverage to all aspects of polymer studies.

Full List of Award Winners

2024 Athina Anastaski

2023 Emily Pentzer

2022 Frank A. Leibfarth

2021 Garret Miyake

2020 Brett P. Fors

2019 Patricia Dankers

2018 Rachel O’Reilly

2017 Luis M. Campos

2016 Cyrille Boyer

2015 Rachel A. Segalman

2014 Brent Sumerlin

2013 Ryan Hayward

2012 Christopher Bielawski