Every year, three early/mid-career women and minority professionals are selected for the Engineering Ceramics Division’s Jubilee Global Diversity Award and are invited to present at the International Conference and Exposition on Advanced Ceramics and Composites (ICACC) in Daytona Beach, FL (annual meeting of the Division). The awardees are encouraged to mentor students and promote society related activities at their institutions.
This award is intended to recognize exceptional early- to mid-career professionals who are women and/or underrepresented minorities (i.e. based on race, ethnicity, nationality and/or geographic location) in the area of ceramic science and engineering.
Criteria:
1) Contributions to the field of ceramic science and engineering
2) Demonstrated commitment to mentoring students and young professionals
3) Promotion of the society and its related activities in the broader community
The nominee must be 45 years old or younger at the time of the award presentation (January 1st of the Award Year) and a member of The American Ceramic Society and Engineering Ceramics Division. However, the award committee can consider special situations (extended time away due to family and health reasons, military service, etc.) and consider waiving the age requirements for exceptional candidates in special cases.
Nomination Process
Nominations can be made by any individual or group that is a member of ACerS. Self-nominations are allowed and encouraged. A one page nomination letter along with a brief CV (up to 3 pages) highlighting the nominee’s contributions listed in the criteria above are required.
Three awards are given each year including a certificate, complimentary registration to ICACC, and a $1,000 honorarium to be presented during the plenary session at ICACC. The awardees are invited to present at ICACC.
Contact
Submit nominations to: ECD Trustee Michael Halbig at michael.c.halbig@nasa.gov
Award Winners
Wan Si Tang
Dr. Wan Si Tang is the Director of Research for Novel Materials & New Energy Forms at the Electrochemical Safety Research Institute (ESRI), under UL Research Institutes. Prior to joining ESRI, she was the Advanced Battery Manufacturing Team Leader at the Battery Innovation Center. Wan Si holds a Ph.D. and M.S. in Material Science from the University of Picardy Jules Verne (Amiens, France) and a B.S. in Applied Chemistry from the National University of Singapore (Singapore). She also had postdoctoral experiences at the Carnegie Institution for Science and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Wan Si has 15+ years of research, discovery, design, and development experience with proficiency in industry-standard advanced battery manufacturing processes and expertise in synthesis and characterization techniques of novel functional materials for applications in hydrogen storage, electrochemical cells, and solar energy.
Elisa Moretti
Elisa Moretti (EM) is an Associate Professor of General and Inorganic Chemistry at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Italy. She holds a Bachelor’s & Master’s degree in industrial chemistry (cum laude), a Master’s degree in restoration of frescoes, wall paintings and stone materials (full marks) and a PhD degree in Chemical Sciences. Then she moved to the University of Malaga (Spain) for a post-doctoral experience.
She is leading a multidisciplinary team focused primarily on the development of 0-2D advanced ceramics with tunable size, morphology, porosity, and crystalline phases, for environmental and energy-related applications (e.g. photocatalysis and electrocatalysis for H2 production, drugs photodegradation for water remediation, water desalination).
EM is co-author of more than 80 scientific papers with high IF, several patents, more than 150 communications and more than 30 keynote/invited talks at the most important international conferences in the field.
Since 2023 EM is Chair-holder of a UNESCO Chair on Technologies and Materials for Green and Energy Applications (AID4GEA).
She has been visiting scholar/professor at several universities/research centers (China, Sweden, Spain).
EM has a strong and consolidated expertise in leading industrial research project with small, medium, and large industrial partners, having several industrial projects funded in the last years.
EM is the founder and scientific supervisor of the Spinoff ChEERS – Circular Economy for Energy Recycling Solutions, working on a sustainable upcycling and valorization of industrial and agri-food wastes to facilitate the lab-to-fab transition of innovative processing and ceramic materials. For the innovative concepts pursued since its creation, ChEERS was awarded in 2021 the National Innovation Business Award ANGI (category “Energy & Environment”).
S Manisha Vidyavathy
Dr S Manisha Vidyavathy is working as a Professor in the Department of Ceramic Technology, Alagappa College of Technology, Anna University, Chennai – 600 025. She is heading the Department of Ceramic Technology since June 2022. She graduated in Physics from the University of Madras. She holds a post-graduation degree in Material Science and Ceramic Technology from Anna University. She obtained her PhD in Ceramic Technology from Anna University in the year 2009. Her research was on the development of niobium co- doped cubic zirconia by conventional and microwave sintering.
The current area of research is in advanced ceramics. She is working on high temperature coatings, ceramic 3D printing, ceramic membranes, and photovoltaics. She has produced 7 Ph.D scholars and 1 MS by Research and presently five students are working under her guidance. She has 30 publications to her credit. She has attended various National and International Conferences, Seminars and Workshops. She has organized 5 workshops and seminars as Co-ordinator. She is also working on various Industrial Consultancy Projects.
She is a member of the Syllabus Sub Committee (UG and PG Programmes) and Board of Studies under Faculty of Technology of Anna University. She is also acting as a Subject Expert Member and Academic Council Member for Dr J Jayalalitha Music and Fine University, Chennai. She also serves as the Subject Expert for Government Polytechnic College, Gudur, and Government Diploma College Virudachalam.
She has served in various academic and administrative responsibilities at the College level and University Level. She held various responsibilities like Deputy Director in the Centre for Academic Courses, Anna University, Programme Officer for YRC, ACTech Campus. She has also served as a Doctoral Committee Member for PHD students at SRM University, VIT Campus and University Constituent Colleges
She has visited countries like New Zealand, USA and Japan. She is the Life member of the Indian Ceramic Society and Individual Member of the American Ceramic Society.