AOAC INTERNATIONAL is accepting nominations for an event, activity, campaign, or program conducted by an AOAC regional Section that deserves recognition with the 2026 Section of the Year Award. The nomination deadline is Thursday, March 26, 2026.
Recognize an AOAC Regional Section for its exceptional contributions to the Association.
Application Deadline: 11:59 PM EST Friday, March 26, 2026
Regional Sections play a critical role in advancing AOAC’s vision for global alignment on trusted analytical solutions and in advancing food safety and product integrity through standards, validated test methods, and laboratory quality programs.
Any active AOAC Section can be nominated and considered for an exceptional contribution in one or more of the following areas: section activities, communication, recruitment and engagement, and community service, as detailed below.
A. Activities
The application may include a series of exceptional activities throughout the year or a single significant activity. Sections must describe each activity, including the number of participants, how it was funded, and what made it successful. Examples of such activities include:
- Network/collaboration with the national/regional regulatory authorities, and how the Section had supported them in relation to AOAC’s scope.
- Notable activities/events (e.g., webinars, training, learning resources, etc.), which contributed to achieving the vision, mission, and goals of AOAC INTERNATIONAL.
- Section initiated or conducted any standard development activities contributing to the Official Methods program.
B. Communication
The Section may provide a description of a successful communications plan or vehicle used to communicate with its members. Examples of these vehicles may include websites, newsletters, or electronic mailing lists. The Section should describe its communication process or vehicle, the goal (i.e., fostering member engagement and facilitating marketing), and list the results of these efforts.
C. Recruitment and Engagement
The Section may have implemented a membership recruitment and retention program for its members and/or AOAC INTERNATIONAL members. The Section should describe the program, its elements, and the results.
D. Community Service
Describe how the Section has made contributions to its communities through one major service project or a series of smaller projects.
Nominations will be accepted only from current AOAC members through Friday, March 26. The award will be presented at the AOAC Annual Meeting & Exposition, August 29 – September 2, 2026, in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.
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