This $1,500 award, established by the late Reldon Cooper, co-founder of Du-Co Ceramics, is awarded to a young professional member of ACerS who demonstrates exceptional leadership and service to ACerS. Visit the Du-Co website to view photos from the announcement event, which was held at MS&T 2012.
The winner will receive an honorarium check in the amount of $1,500, a certificate of recognition and lifetime membership in ACerS.
Nomination Process
Criteria for the Award:
- ACerS member under the age of 40 at the application deadline, and in the first 10 years of their career
- Nomination to be made by an active ACerS member with at least one letter of support
- Nominees must submit a resume and biography highlighting educational, professional, and volunteer achievements, particularly emphasizing volunteer service to ACerS and YPN (Young Professionals Network) since this is an important determining factor in selection of the winner.
- Must be a current ACerS member
- Application and materials must be received by March 1
The awardee will be announced in early summer.
Nominations will be considered for a total of 5 years, assuming the candidate still meets the age and years in their career criteria as noted above.
Contact
Erica Zimmerman
Ph: 614-794-5821
ezimmerman@ceramics.org
Award Winners
Charmayne Lonergan
Prof. Charmayne Lonergan has been a dedicated member of The American Ceramic Society (ACerS) since 2008. Her passion for ceramics and glass science has only grown over the years, largely due to her involvement in ACerS. Charmayne finished her Ph.D. at Missouri S&T under Prof. Brow, followed by a post-doc at the University of Central Florida with Prof. Richardson before starting her career as a Materials Scientist at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in 2016. At each professional step, she and her colleagues produced highly cited papers related to the design and characterization of glasses for a variety of engineering applications, including specialty optics and waste vitrification.
Prof. Lonergan was first a member, and then a co-chair of the Young Professionals Network. She is the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) liaison for GOMD and is an active member of the ACerS DEI committee. She was vice chair of the International Commission on Glass (ICG) Technical Committee on Waste Vitrification, a role that highlights her dedication to addressing global challenges through innovative glass-based solutions.
Prof. Lonergan is on the executive board for the ACerS Energy Materials and Systems Division, was a member of the Education and Professional Development Council, and was recently named to the board of the Ceramic and Glass Industry Foundation (CGIF). Along with her participation in the ACerS mentoring program, these positions are consistent with her dedication to fostering the next generation of professionals and to spread information and excitement for ceramic/glass science and technology. Her outreach endeavors and passion for engagement led to her being featured in a children’s book highlighting women in energy-related professions as well as a highlight by the Department of Energy on their “Women @ Energy” blog.