Polymer Curriculum Development Award (inactive as of 1999)

This award is for an innovative approach to improve the teaching of polymer chemistry and polymer engineering in existing curricula at U. S. colleges and universities. The information created by the program is distributed throughout the country to enable educational institutions to establish similar programs. The main criteria for the award is probable effectiveness of the proposed activities in increasing student interests in and knowledge of polymer chemistry and polymer engineering, and the mechanism of dissemination of the information generated by the proposed program. Thus, the target is to provide industry and academia with graduates who will have a greater knowledge of polymers. The award provides funding of up to $10,000, distributed over up to three years. Through this program, developments include new lecture courses in new areas of polymer science such as polymer composites and polymeric drug release, new advanced polymer laboratory courses focused on material science and analytical chemistry, an interdisciplinary lab focused on combination of polymer synthesis, characterization and processing, development of educational software and interactive adventure games with polymers and have very broad impact on polymer education by attracting students to polymer programs, increasing number of faculty teaching polymers, leading to a permanent commitment of academic institutions in polymer science and additionally enabling to broadly disseminate the information generated by the program through the POLYED Information Center. In 1996, the program was not distributed as broadly as it was previously. No new proposals were received. The extension for additional year for the program “Electronic Registry for Graduate Studies in Polymer Science” (Professor Mathias (University of Southern Mississippi) at a level $4,000 was approved. This program is focused on preparation of educational modules introducing polymers, how they impact modern society and how physical sciences serve as basis for understanding, developing and using polymer based materials. As of Fall 1997, the most recently funded program “The Macrogalleria – A Polymer Science Exploratorium” directed by Professor Mathias (University of Southern Mississippi) focused on preparation of educational modules introducing polymers, how they impact modern society and how physical sciences serve as basis for understanding, developing and using polymer based materials. This program is now available on CD/ROM. It includes animated mechanisms, video and audio clips, and reference materials to journals, books, other web-sites, on-line demonstrations, and property data bases. In 1999, the program was discontinued.

Previous Awardees

	Professor Farris	UMass Amherst	Electronic Registry for Graduate Studies in Polymer Science
	Professor Pearson	Lehigh University	Virtual Polymer Processing Laboratory
1997	Professor Mathias	Univ. Southern Mississippi	Electronic Registry for Graduate Studies in Polymer Science

Public Perception of Polymers Award (inactive as of 2005)

In 1990, the Industrial Sponsors Group of the POLY Division of the AACS initiated a grant program to encourage projects aimed at the improvement of the image of polymers in the eyes of the general public. Grants were  made to groups for innovative approaches to this objective, providing up to $10,000, generally over a three-year period.

Previous Awardees

1996	Dr. Richard Stein (UMass) and Ms. Valerie Wilcox (National Plastics Center and Museum
1994	The Science Alliance of Delaware

Eastman Chemical Student Award in Applied Polymer Science

This award was established in 1985 as the Sherwin Williams Award in Applied Polymer Science who continued their support until 1996. Since then, this award has been supported by ICI (1997-2008), AkzoNobel (2009-2013) and Eastman Chemical (2014 – present). This award is now held by the PMSE Division (DIVISION OF POLYMERIC MATERIALS: SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING) of ACS. View award here.