The AOAC Official Methods Program recognizes significant contributions and meritorious volunteer service to the AOAC analytical scientific community.

Group/Team Awards

Award in Recognition of Technical and Scientific Excellence

The purpose of this award is for the Official Methods Board (OMB) to recognize a team, stakeholder panel, or working group that has published a major document or other body of work that demonstrates a unique or particularly noteworthy level of technical and scientific expertise.

Selection Criteria

The minimum criteria for selection are:

  • The body of work includes major initiatives or technical guidelines accepted, completed, or published within the last three years.
  • The team has been instrumental in developing or modifying technical guidelines or method validation processes.
  • The team product demonstrates significant merit as to the scope of the project, the involvement of a diverse and/or international group of stakeholders or an innovative approach to difficult analytical challenges.
  • The award recognizes teamwork that enhances the reputation of the Association and fosters the mission of AOAC INTERNATIONAL.

Selection Process

  1. The chair of the OMB solicits the OMB members for nominees.
  2. Written recommendations and supporting information are submitted to the OMB chair. The information will be distributed to the members of the OMB.
  3. The OMB selects the recipient of the award by a 2/3 vote. If necessary, the OMB chair may cast the tie-breaking vote.

Award

An appropriate letter of appreciation and thanks will be sent to the recipient(s) of this award. The winner will be announced and presented with the award during the awards ceremony of the AOAC Annual Meeting. The name of the winner, with supporting story, will be announced in the Inside Laboratory Management (ILM) magazine.

Expert Review Panel of the Year

Selection Criteria

The minimum criteria for selection are:

  • The expert review panel must have completed a significant milestone (e.g. First Action Method, Final Action Method, method modification) within the last three years.
  • Generally, some unique or particularly noteworthy aspect of the ERP’s work is highlighted as making the ERP worthy of the award, such as innovative technology or application, breadth of applicability, critical need, difficult analysis, or timeliness.
  • The panel report demonstrates significant merit as to the scope of the project, the involvement of a diverse and/or international group of recognized experts or an innovative approach to difficult analytical challenge.

Selection Process

  1. AOAC staff lists all eligible panels for consideration and forwards that list along with the ERP report to the OMB Chair.
  2. The OMB Chair forwards the list along with any supporting information to the OMB members.
  3. The OMB selects the Expert Review Panel of the Year by a 2/3 vote. If necessary, the OMB chair may cast the tie-breaking vote.

Award

An appropriate letter of appreciation and thanks will be sent to the members of the winning Expert Review Panel.. The winning panel and its members will be announced and presented with the award during the awards ceremony of the AOAC Annual Meeting. The winning ERP, with supporting story, will be announced in the Inside Laboratory Management (ILM) magazine.

Individual Achievement Awards

Technical Service Award

More than one volunteer may be selected in this category each year. In each case the area of expertise should be noted at the time of presentation of the award.

Selection Criteria

  • Has demonstrated timely, competent, and continuous service in an exemplary manner to a Stakeholder Panel (SP), Expert Review Panel (ERP), Working Group Community, Committee, and/or the Official Methods Board (OMB).
  • Has donated this service within the three years prior to nomination.
  • Gives outstanding expert guidance and support in all technical aspects as needed and requested.

Additional support for selection is exemplary performance in one or more of the areas below:

  • Has provided guidance on safety, statistical, technical matters, or process expertise.
  • Has been instrumental in developing, modifying or validating a high quality method for publication in the Official Methods of Analysis.
  • Communicates related activities through the appropriate channels, either through the panel/group/community chairs, the Committee on Statistics or Safety, or the Chief Scientific Officer or other staff designees.
  • Contributes significantly to AOAC over a period of years with other accomplishments related to his/her area of expertise (e.g. symposium presentations, poster presentations, publications, workshops, meetings).
  • Contributes to the development and improvement of AOAC guidelines, OMA methods, statistics, or safety programs.
  • Helps guide AOAC in the decision-making process to make the organization a leader in the field of analytical science.

Selection Process

  1. The Official OMB will solicit the Chairs of the SPs, ERPs, WGs, Sections, Groups, Committees, Community, and the Association membership for nominees. Recommendations based on input from anyone qualified to discuss the contribution of the nominee can be submitted.
  2. Written recommendations and supporting information must be submitted to the OMB Chair. The OMB Chair will distribute the information to the members of the OMB.
  3. The OMB selects the winner(s) of the Technical Service Award by a 2/3 vote. If necessary, the OMB Chair may cast the tie-breaking vote.

Award

An appropriate letter of appreciation and thanks will be sent to the recipient(s) of this award. The winner(s) will be announced and presented with the award during the awards ceremony of the AOAC Annual Meeting. The name of the winner(s), with supporting story, will be announced in the Inside Laboratory Management (ILM) magazine.

Method of the Year

The OMB may select more than one method in this category each year.

Selection Criteria

The minimum criteria for selection are:

  • The method must have been approved for First or Final Action within the last three years.
  • Generally, some unique or particularly noteworthy aspect of the method is highlighted as making it worthy of the award, such as innovative technology or application, breadth of applicability, critical need, difficult analysis, and/or range of collaborators.
  • The method demonstrates significant merit in scope or is an innovative approach to an analytical problem.

Selection Process

  1. AOAC staff lists all methods eligible for consideration and forwards it with supporting documentation (e.g. ERP chair recommendation(s)) to the OMB Chair.
  2. The Chair forwards the list along with any supporting information to the members of the OMB.
  3. The OMB selects the Method of the Year by 2/3 vote. If necessary, the OMB chair may cast the tie-breaking vote.

Award

An appropriate letter of appreciation and thanks will be sent to the author(s) of the winning method. The author(s) will be announced and presented with the award during the awards ceremony of the AOAC Annual Meeting. The name of the winner(s), with supporting story, will be announced in the Inside Laboratory Management (ILM) magazine.