2019 Call for Nominations - Technical Excellence Awards

Submission Deadline Extended: Wednesday, April 10, 2019

Background

The Technical Excellence Award was established in 1991 by the SRC Board of Directors as an incentive and recognition program for research of exceptional value to SRC members. This award recognizes key contributors for innovative technology that significantly enhances the productivity/competitiveness of the semiconductor industry. To date thirty technologies have received Technical Excellence Awards.

Nominations

Nominations are accepted from all members of the SRC community for work performed during previous years.

Most nominations are from industry, indicating the extent to which results from SRC-funded programs are being applied or likely will be applied by the industry. In reviewing each nomination for the award, the Awards Review Committee considers creativity, relevance to SRC/industry research objectives, value to industry, and the researcher's role in technology transfer.

Nominations must be submitted by Wednesday, April 10, 2019.

Nominators should use the Nomination Form along with a narrative addressing the four selection criteria (listed below). Submit nominations by close of business on April 10, 2019. Please have narrative regarding the research/technology being nominated and letters of recommendation ready to upload in one file when submitting the form. Receipt of all submissions will be confirmed by email. Nominators will be informed of incomplete nominations. Incomplete nominations will be rejected if requested information is not provided.

For further information, please contact awards@src.org.

Selection

Evaluations will be conducted by the Awards Committee (SRC Board Chair, SRC Board Research Committee Chair,  Executive Technical Advisory Board Chair and Vice-Chair and SRC management staff).

This committee will determine the key contributors to the nominated research programs based on

• a review of contract during research effort
• documentation submitted by the nominator

Finalists and nominators will be notified of the Board of Director's decision in June 2019. Award presentation will be made during TECHCON 2019.

Criteria

Four selection criteria will be used by the committee and weighted as outlined below:

1. Creativity/Innovation
   • Scientific merit (e.g., best paper awards): Show evidence of scientific merit such as best paper and other awards, recent publications, publication references, and/or other recognition from the scientific community of the value of this research.
   • Scientific methodology (e.g., data collection is statistically significant): Discuss scientific methodology used in this research such as statistically significant data collection, design of experiments, reproducible results, well characterized and detailed procedures, or other aspects you feel are noteworthy.
   • Originality (e.g., patentability): Show evidence of the originality of this research by listing patents or patent applications, references to nominated work by others, and/or other supporting documentation.
2. Relevance
   • Relation to SRC/Industry research objectives: Show connection to specific objective(s)/milestone(s) of the semiconductor industry technology or application needs and discuss the impact this research has had or will have.
   • Timeliness of accomplishment: Discuss the relationship in time of this research to the goals of your organization or organizations of which you have direct knowledge. If the work is relevant to future needs, please estimate time line. Supporting documentation should be provided for organizations other than your own.
3. Value to Industry
   • Impact (potential or actual) on internal program acceleration: Define the degree to which specific programs/internal R&D have been accelerated/complemented, or are expected to be accelerated/complemented as a result of this research within your own company or companies of which you have direct knowledge. Supporting documentation should be provided for companies other than your own.
   • Impact on ability to integrate research results: Discuss the ease with which this research transferred into your own company (or companies of which you have direct knowledge) so that minimum effort was expended in the reproduction or use of the research results. Supporting documentation should be provided for companies other than your own.
   • Impact (potential or actual) on person-year(s) of effort reduced/saved: Discuss the manner in which this research has conserved or is expected to conserve human resources within your own company or companies of which you have direct knowledge. Documentation should be provided for companies other than your own.
   • Impact on enhancements of key success factors of the business: Discuss the manner in which this research has influenced or been responsible for new R&D programs being initiated, changes in current R&D plans or strategic directions, reduction of development and/or manufacturing costs/capital equipment via increased productivity/yields or by other methods, increased competitiveness of products, or increased market share within your own company or companies of which you have direct knowledge. Supporting documentation should be provided for companies other than your own.
4. Technology Transfer
   • Researcher’s role in reducing cycle time for effective knowledge exchange: Identify the researcher's role in university-industry collaborations such as interactions; presentations to industry; workshops; internships or sabbaticals; or any other vehicle that contributed to effective knowledge exchange. Indicate any unique attribute(s) of the research that impacted ease of transfer (in relation to that discussed above in the section "Value to Industry.")
   • Anticipated or actual date/year of first use by industry: Date of incorporation or anticipated incorporation into production systems of your company or companies of which you have direct knowledge. Supporting documentation should be provided for companies other than your own.