The Coblentz Society has for many years encouraged young scientists to pursue studies in spectroscopy by seeking nominations of outstanding students for the Coblentz Student Awards. The awardees receive a copy of the Society's Desk Book, a certificate, and a year's membership in the Society. Their names and the names of their faculty advisors will appear in the Society's Newsletter (published in Applied Spectroscopy and available from the Coblentz Society and SAS websites). All awardees who attend the SciX conference will receive their award in person at a presentation during the poster session on Sunday evening by then Coblentz Society's president. Those students who do not attend the SciX conference will receive their award and the Society's Desk Book by mail. 

    The three leading graduate students selected by the Coblentz Award committee will also qualify for consideration for the William G. Fateley student award that includes a presentation by the winner at the SciX conference (20 minute oral presentation), a plaque, and a prize of $1000. No separate nomination for the Fateley award is required.

    The nominations window for Coblentz Student Awards is open November 1, 2014 – February 15, 2015.  Winners will be announced after February 2015. 

    Nominations by e-mail are preferred and may be sent to the Chair of the Coblentz Student Affairs Committee, Prof. Rohit Bhargava, at rxb@illinois.edu.  Graduate or undergraduate students who have shown excellence in vibrational spectroscopy research and/or coursework including vibrational spectroscopy may be nominated. The nominator must be a member of the Coblentz Society (to become a member contact Mark Druy at mark.druy@coblentz.org or complete the online membership application).  

Requirements for a complete nomination:

1. Curriculum Vita for the nominee. These should include contact information (e-mail, telephone and mailing address) for the student that will be valid through July 2015. 
2. A biographical statement suitable for including in an announcement of the award, using a format similar to that used for the FACSS Student Award 
3. 1 letter of nomination from an advisor or research director of the student 
4. 1 additional letter of recommendation 
5. Abstract for a poster or oral presentation that might be presented at SciX 2015 presented by FACSS. 

    In 2014 all awardees were featured by having a photograph and a short bio in the SciX 2014 Final program distributed at Reno. All awardees who attend SciX 2014 presented by FACSS in Reno were acknowledged in person at a presentation during the poster session on Sunday evening by the Coblentz Society president – Jim Rydzak.

The 2014 Coblentz Student Awardees are, from top left: Chris Huber (the 2014 Fateley awardee), Jay Kitt, Ikhlas Darkhalil, Antonio Campos

Past Awardees (awardee bios)

2010 Coblentz Student Awardees

• Ali Eftekhari-Bafrooei, Temple University, Professor Eric Borguet

• Ram Bhatta, University of Akron, Professor David Perry
• Praveenkumar Boopalachandran, Texas A&M University, Professor Jaan Laane
• Bryon Herbert, University of Delaware, Professor Karl S. Booksh
• Yuliya Luzinova, Georgia Tech University, Professor Boris Mizaikoff
• Hajime Okajima, University of Tokyo, Professor Hiro-o Hamaguchi

2009 Coblentz Student Awardees

• Christopher J. Addison, University of British Columbia, Professor Michael Blades
• Kyle C. Bantz, University of Minnesota, Professor Christy L. Haynes
• Sudhir Dahal, Towson University, Professor Boon Loo
• Arindam Ganguly, University of Missouri - Kansas City, Professor James R. Durig
• Rosina A. Lombardi, Syracuse University, Professor Laurence A. Nafie
• Allen M. Ricks, University of Georgia, Professor Michael A. Duncan
• Sean T. Roberts, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Professor Andrei Tokmakoff
• Bhavya Sharma, University of Pittsburgh, Professor Sanford A. Asher
• Christina R. Young, Georgia Institute of Technology, Professor Boris Mizaikoff