Award Description

    In 2006, The Coblentz Society created an award to recognize the efforts of young professional spectroscopists that have made significant contributions in applied analytical vibrational spectroscopy. The Society named this award for Clara D. Craver in recognition of her pioneering efforts in promoting the practice of infrared vibrational spectroscopy and her many years of service to the Coblentz Society. Clara Craver was the editor of the Coblentz Desk reference and other subsequent libraries that later became databases of infrared spectra. These libraries are the foundation for the application of modern vibrational spectroscopy. Her efforts resulted in the creation of the endowment that supports the Coblentz society and many of its annual awards. The first Craver Award was presented in 2007 at the FACSS meeting in Memphis, TN. 

2017 Craver Award Recipient

Martin T. Zanni is the Meloche-Bascom Professor of Chemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He received his PhD from the University of California-Berkeley, working with Dan Neumark, and was an NIH Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania with Robin Hochstrasser. He is one of the earliest innovators in 2D IR spectroscopy and has made many technological innovations in 2D IR, 2D Visible, and 2D SFG spectroscopy that has broadened the capabilities and scope of multidimensional spectroscopies. He utilizes these new spectroscopies to study topics in biophysics, chemical physics, photovoltaics, and surface science. He has received many national and international accolades for his research, including the Research Initiatives Award from the National Academy of Sciences for his work in optics, the Raymond and Beverly Sackler Prize from Tel Aviv University for his work in multidimensional spectroscopy, and the Early Career Scholar Award from the NIH/NIDDK for his work on Type 2 diabetes. He founded PhaseTech Spectroscopy Inc., which is the first company to commercialize 2D IR and 2D Visible spectroscopies.

     The 2017 Craver Award will be presented at the SciX Conference in Reno, NV USA. Professor Zanni will present the Coblentz Society’s Craver Award Plenary Lecture in Applied Vibrational Spectroscopy; there will be a separate half-day award symposium of five invited presentations following his lecture at the conference. 

    The Coblentz Society announces its solicitation of nominations for the 2018 Craver Award in recognition of young investigators in applied analytical vibrational spectroscopy. 

     The Craver Award is presented annually to an outstanding young molecular spectroscopist whose efforts are in the area of applied analytical vibrational spectroscopy. The candidate must be under the age of 45 on January 1 of the year of the award. The work may include any aspect of infrared (NIR, MIR, or Far), and/or THz, and/or Raman spectroscopy in applied analytical vibrational spectroscopy. The nominees may come from an academic, government lab, or industrial backgrounds. The award comprises an honorarium, an engraved crystal award, and a travel allowance.

     Nominations for the 2018 award are accepted until August 30, 2017 and must include a detailed description of the nominee's accomplishments, a curriculum vitae or resume, and minimum of three supporting letters. Annual updates of candidate files are encouraged and will be solicited from the nomination source by the award’s committee chair.  Files of candidates will be kept active for 3 years or until the age of eligibility is exceeded. Nominations may be sent to the Society's Nominations Committee at nominations@coblentz.org

Craver Award Lecture and Symposium

    The awardee will be offered an opportunity to present a plenary lecture to the assembled SciX conference. Further, a separate half-day award symposium honoring the award recipient and highlighting the interests of the awardee complements the Craver Award Lecture. At right is an image from the 2014 Craver Award symposium speakers, chaired by Luisa Profeta. From Left: Anders Sparen, Dor Ben-Amotz, Lynne Taylor, Patrick Marsac, Luisa Profeta (session chair) and Ian R. Lewis. Not pictured: Saly Romero-Torres.

Craver award lecture 2012

Below are images of the inaugural Craver Award presentation in 2007. At left is Katherine A. Bakeev, and at right is Mary W. Carrabba (who was then the President of Coblentz).