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Awards

Material Research Society FoundationThe MRS Awards Program strives to acknowledge outstanding contributors to the progress of materials research and to recognize their exciting and profound accomplishments. We seek to honor those whose work has already had a major impact in the field, those who have defined the frontiers of the field, those who are outstanding exponents of their science and those early-career researchers whose work already leads to great expectations for future leadership.

Not only do we honor the award recipients, we also believe that by highlighting these diverse leaders in our field and their creative work, we will enrich the awareness of the progress and breadth of materials research, both within the materials community and the wider community at large.

The Materials Research Society strives to uphold and embody equality in all areas including gender, institutional, educational, racial, ethnic and geographic diversity of its members. MRS is committed to being inclusive and believes that MRS Award nominees and recipients should be broadly reflective of our overall membership. Therefore, when making nominations for MRS Awards, we encourage you to consider scientists from ALL demographic backgrounds and geographic regions. MRS Award recipients and honorees are expected to embody the highest standards of professional behavior and ethics reflected in the MRS Professional Behavior and Ethics Policy.

MRS TV talks to the (Past) Awards Committee chair Suveen Mathaudhu about the Society’s awards program.

 

 

Suveen Mathaudhu"In our materials science community, there are many individuals whose contributions make a real difference. I encourage you to recognize these colleagues by nominating them for an MRS Award. Our awards cover a range of achievements, from research and leadership to mentorship and education. By nominating a colleague, you're not only acknowledging their hard work but also helping to highlight the diversity and excellence in our field. Let's take this opportunity to celebrate the talents and efforts of our peers."

— Lia Stanciu, Awards Committee Chair, Purdue University

To support our goal of inclusivity, MRS has established the Awards Nominations Special Interest Group, a group of dedicated and diversified scientists and engineers from around the globe who are committed to providing equal access and opportunity for well-deserved researchers who are historically underrepresented as MRS awards recipients, including female, minorities, and people with disabilities. The Awards Nominations Special Interest Group collects data about racial, ethnic, age and gender disparities in MRS Awards recipients and works industriously to implement policies and initiatives to rectify them.  If you would like to get involved with the activities of the group, or would like assistance in promoting the nomination of underrepresented individuals, please contact us.

If you have questions pertaining to the MRS Awards program, please contact us »

Spring Awards

Nomination Deadline*

Innovation in Materials Characterization Award

The Innovation in Materials Characterization Award was created to honor an outstanding advance in materials characterization that notably increases the knowledge of the structure; composition; in situ behavior under outside stimulus; electronic, mechanical or chemical behavior; or other characterization feature of materials.


August 1

Mid-Career Researcher Award

The Mid-Career Researcher Award recognizes exceptional achievements in materials research made by mid-career professionals. 


August 1

MRS Impact Award

The MRS Impact Award honors outstanding individuals who have displayed excellence in areas of science communication, education, advancing diversity, mentoring, or community engagement, which reflect the Society’s pursuit to advance materials science and technology to improve the quality of life.


August 1

Outstanding Early-Career Investigator Award

The Outstanding Early-Career Investigator Award recognizes outstanding, interdisciplinary scientific work in materials research by an early-career scientist or engineer.


August 1

MRS Postdoctoral Award

The MRS Postdoctoral Award recognizes postdoctoral scholars who are showing exceptional promise.


August 1

Graduate Student Awards

MRS Graduate Student Awards honor and encourage graduate students whose academic achievements and current materials research display a high level of excellence and distinction. The 2025 Spring Meeting Graduate Student Award application submission site (gsa.mrs.org) will open on September 15.


November 13

MRS Fellows

MRS seeks to recognize as MRS Fellow outstanding members whose sustained and distinguished contributions to the advancement of materials research are internationally recognized.


August 1

Fall Awards

Nomination Deadline*

Von Hippel Award

The Von Hippel Award, the Materials Research Society's highest honor, recognizes those qualities most prized by materials scientists and engineers—brilliance and originality of intellect, combined with vision that transcends the boundaries of conventional scientific disciplines.


May 1

David Turnbull Lectureship

The David Turnbull Lectureship is awarded to recognize the career contribution of a scientist to fundamental understanding of the science of materials through experimental and/or theoretical research.


May 1

MRS Medal

The MRS Medal recognizes an exceptional achievement in materials research in the past ten years. A medal will be awarded for a major advance or cluster of closely related advances in any materials-related field of research.


May 1

Materials Theory Award

The Materials Theory Award recognizes exceptional advances made by materials theory to the fundamental understanding of the structure and behavior of materials.


May 1

The Kavli Foundation Early Career Lectureship in Materials Science

This honor recognizes significant novel contributions to materials science by an early-career researcher at the onset of his/her career.


May 1

MRS Nelson "Buck" Robinson Science and Technology Award for Renewable Energy 

The MRS Nelson "Buck" Robinson Science and Technology Award for Renewable Energy recognizes a student,  postdoc or other early-career professional for the development of novel sustainable solutions for the realization of renewable sources of energy.


May 1

Graduate Student Awards

MRS Graduate Student Awards honor and encourage graduate students whose academic achievements and current materials research display a high level of excellence and distinction. The 2024 Fall Meeting Graduate Student Award application submission site (gsa.mrs.org) will open on June 1.


August 1

MRS Woody White Service Award

The MRS Woody White Service Award is an award which recognizes a volunteer who has made extraordinary contributions of time and effort to the success of the society.

August 1

Publication Awards

Nomination Deadline*

MRS Bulletin Postdoctoral Publication Prize

MRS acknowledges the Jiang Family Foundation and MTI Corporation for their generous contribution to support this award.


July 31


January 19


To Be Determined


To Be Determined

 

 

* 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.