David Turnbull Lectureship Nomination Information

Purpose 

To recognize the career of a scientist whose research has made outstanding contributions to fundamental understanding of the science of materials, as exemplified by the life work of David Turnbull.

The Award 

The Turnbull Lecturer will receive a $5,000 honorarium and a citation plaque. The recipient will give a technical lecture of broad appeal at a designated session of the MRS Turnbull Lecture, and will work with the MRS Bulletin staff in preparing an appropriate article for the Bulletin. The registration fee and reasonable travel expenses to the MRS meeting at which the Turnbull Lecture is given will be reimbursed. Additionally, the recorded  MRS Turnbull Lecture will be presented as a webinar for the MRS University Chapters each Spring and the lecturer will be available for a question and answer period.  

Administration 

The Lectureship is managed by the  Turnbull Lectureship Award Subcommittee of the MRS Awards Committee. This subcommittee is responsible for soliciting and evaluating nominations annually and recommending a nominee to the MRS Board for final approval or recommending to the Board that no award be made.  

Rules and Eligibility 

Nominations for the Turnbull Lectureship may be made for scientists and engineers in all areas of materials science. The primary consideration in making the award is the nominee's career contribution to the fundamental understanding of materials phenomena and properties through his/her research, writing and lecturing. Nominees need not be members of the Materials Research Society, and nominees of any nationality are eligible. Current members of the MRS Turnbull Lectureship Selection Subcommittee, MRS Board members, and previous Turnbull Lecturers are not eligible. The selection of the Turnbull Lecturer must be approved by the MRS Board with recommendation from the Awards Committee; the decision of the MRS Board is final. The Lectureship will not be awarded in absentia. The lecture must be given within 12 months of the selection at an MRS Fall Meeting.

Nomination Submission Information

The nomination will be submitted through the  MRS Awards Nomination Submission Website portal. The nominator will use their MRS Customer ID and Login information to access the system. The nomination information required will include the following information and required documents in PDF file format.

1. Nominee and Nominator Information
   The Nominator will enter the following into the online form: 
   Full name, organization, mailing address, email address, telephone number.
     
2. Proposed citation
   The proposed citation must be less than 40 words and entered into the online form.
   Summarize the achievements upon which the nomination is based, avoiding flowery descriptors such as seminal, world-class. 
     
3. Nominator Statement (two pages maximum)
   This statement will include information supporting the candidate's suitability to be designated the Turnbull Lecturer, with respect to:
    
   • the importance of the candidate's research contributions to the fundamental understanding of materials,
   • the quality of the candidate's writing and lectures, and
   • the candidate's role in education and graduate training in materials research. 
     
4. Supporting Documentation
   Brief CV, including lists of professional appointments held, honors, awards, patents. A separate list of most important publications, papers and books. (four pages maximum)
     
5. Three letters of support from established scientists familiar with the nominee's qualifications and area of research and should include explicit reference to the criteria listed above in item 3. Letters should be uploaded to the submission system, or, if absolutely necessary, letters may be sent directly here. If a letter must be sent separately, you must upload a PDF document file which will include the name letter of support writer, along with email address. This document, as a placeholder, will allow you to make the submission. A letter should be on official letterhead and include the signature of the writer. Each letter should not exceed two pages each.
     
6. Submission Procedure
   The portal for submitting an MRS Award nomination will open and close on the published date¹ of each award. The nominator will use their MRS website credentials to access the system. Previously submitted nominations may also be updated in the system by using the nominator’s login information. Nominations are active for three years and may be updated each year.

Please contact Lorri Smiley should you have technical difficulties or other submission concerns. 

NOTE:¹ If an Award nomination deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, the submission deadline will then default to the following business day at 11:59 p.m.