Frank J. Padden, Jr. Award
This award is named for Frank J. Padden, Jr. (1928–2002), who was a distinguished polymer physics researcher and an active member of the APS DPOLY (formerly known as the Division of High Polymer Physics, DHPP). Padden (Ph.D., Mellon Institute of Industrial Research) spent a majority of his scientific career working with his close collaborator H. D. Keith at Bell Telephone Laboratories (Murray Hill, NJ). For their seminal work on the crystallization processes that underpin the key properties of commodity polymers such as polyethylene, polypropylene, and nylons, Keith and Padden were jointly awarded the APS Polymer Physics Prize in 1973. Padden served as the Secretary-Treasurer of DPOLY for 21 years (1967–88), during which time he helped to strengthen and broaden the scope of its activities. In recognition of his caring mentorship of young scientists, DPOLY established this award in his honor to recognize a graduate student for excellence in polymer physics research.
Since 1997, the University of Akron College of Polymer Science and Engineering has co-sponsored this award with DPOLY.
Call for Nominations
The Frank J. Padden, Jr. Award, consisting of a certificate and appropriate recognition, honors a graduate student for "Excellence in Polymer Physics Research." To be considered for this award, the student must (1) be a member of DPOLY, (2) must be working toward the Ph.D. degree, and (3) must not have completed the requirements for the Ph.D. before the application deadline. A nomination package consists of the following:
- An acceptable abstract for an in-person contributed talk in the DPOLY program at the March Meeting. Please submit the abstract on-line directly to the APS, and provide an electronic copy for the DPOLY Education Committee, as described further below.
- A 2-page curriculum vitae (do NOT send papers or other attachments),
- A nominating letter addressing the quality of the graduate research and academic excellence. The nominator may be the thesis adviser or another individual familiar with the student and his/her work. Individuals may make only a single nomination in a given year.
Send nominations by email to Prof. Moon Park using the subject line "Padden_name of student". Paper nominations will not be accepted. The deadline for receipt of all materials is the general deadline for March Meeting abstract submission (5:00 PM ET, October 20, 2023).
APS abstract submission must meet the general deadline for March Meeting abstract submission. The abstract should be submitted to Sorting Category 01 (i.e., the most general DPOLY sorting category, and not a more specific category of the type 01.XX or 01.XX.YY) and in the template space for Special Instructions, enter "Padden Award Symposium". The abstract will be forwarded to the Program Chair for inclusion in the March Meeting DPOLY program, either in the Padden Award Symposium if the nominee is selected as a finalist, or in the appropriate technical category otherwise.
The Education Committee will select 5 finalists (or more, if the candidates are exceptionally strong) based on the materials provided. All finalists are expected to present in person at the March Meeting. We will attempt to make accommodations for those who are unable to obtain a visa or prevented from attending by other travel restrictions. At the March Meeting, finalists will be invited to a celebratory dinner (sponsored by the University of Akron) with members of the DPOLY Education Committee, and participate in the Padden Award Symposium. Each of the finalists will give a 12-minute (including time for questions) oral presentation. The session will be attended by the Education Committee, who will serve as judges, and by any other interested members of DPOLY or APS. The winner will be selected based on quality of the research, the presentation, and response to questions. The winner will be announced at the annual DPOLY Business Meeting.