The Rubber Division is now accepting nominations for 2023 Science & Technology awards

Akron, OH – The Rubber Division, ACS annually honors the best of the best with the most prestigious awards in our industry with their Science & Technology Awards. Winners are celebrated at a banquet that takes place during our spring technical meeting and each winner gives a presentation in the afternoon technical session following the banquet. The Rubber Division is accepting nominations for the awards listed below.

Charles Goodyear Medal – The purpose of this award is to perpetuate the memory of Charles Goodyear as the discoverer of the vulcanization of rubber by honoring individuals for outstanding invention, innovation or development which has resulted in a significant change or contribution to the nature of the rubber industry.

Melvin Mooney Distinguished Technology Award – The purpose of this award is to perpetuate the memory of Melvin Mooney, the developer of the Mooney Viscometer and other testing equipment, by honoring individuals who have exhibited exceptional technical competency by making significant and repeated contributions to rubber science and technology.

George Stafford Whitby Award for Distinguished Teaching & Research – This award perpetuates the memory of George S. Whitby, head of the rubber laboratory at The University of Akron and for years the only individual who taught rubber chemistry in the USA, by honoring outstanding international teachers of chemistry and polymer science and recognizing innovative research.

Sparks-Thomas Award – The purpose of this award is to perpetuate the memory of William J. Sparks and Robert M. Thomas, chemists, who developed butyl rubber, by recognizing and encouraging outstanding scientific contributions and innovations in the field of elastomers by younger scientists, technologists and engineers.

Chemistry of Thermoplastic Elastomers Award – This award is to honor significant contributions to the advancement of the chemistry of thermoplastic elastomers. The recipient must have made an outstanding contribution in the field of thermoplastic elastomer chemistry. Patentable innovations in process chemistry for the production of new thermoplastic elastomers will also be eligible for this award.

Fernley H. Banbury Award – This award perpetuates the memory of Fernley H. Banbury, the inventor and developer of the internal mixer that bears his name, by honoring innovations of production equipment, instrumentation, control systems, or developed improved processing technologies, widely used in the manufacture of rubber or rubber-like articles of importance.

Bioelastomer Award – This award is to honor significant contributions to the advancement of biomaterials in the field of rubber science and technology. The recipient must have made and outstanding contribution to the understanding and utilization of biomaterials, including naturally derived elastomeric polymers and protein-based bioelastomers.

Nominations for the 2023 Science & Technology Awards are due by June 30, 2022 at https://www.rubber.org/st-awards-nominate