Student Awards & Competitions | AIChE

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Student Awards & Competitions

Granted to both individual and student chapters, these awards recognize academic skill and student chapter achievements. Scholarships and competitions are included.

AIChE Chemical Engineering for Good Challenge (ACE4G)

Details
Award

Prizes

Prizes will be awarded for top three entries in the amounts of $500, $200, and $100. In the unlikely event that the judges determine there are not three entries of sufficient quality, then not all three prizes will be awarded.

AdministratorsStudent Chapters Committee, Career and Education Operating Council (CEOC)
Nomination Instructions

Participants 

Open to all AIChE student chapters around the world. Any AIChE student chapter may enter, and chapters may enter together. The team is welcome to coordinate with professors, professionals or other student groups on or off campus in their work.

Some common approaches to group formation include but are not limited to:

  • An AIChE student chapter taking on this project.
  • A Chemical Engineering faculty member using the project in a class context for one or more submissions (limiting submissions to the best few in a class is encouraged).
  • Student chapters are encouraged to partner with other student organizations experienced in working on international projects, such as Engineers Without Borders.

Collaboration

When AIChE student chapters collaborate to produce a joint ACE4G entry, judging will not be affected by how many chapters worked on the submission. Collaborations between US and international chapters are particularly encouraged.

Dissemination of Results

The contents of all contest submissions may be made public, with appropriate credits given to the original submitters.

Submission Examples

Download examples of previous winning submissions.

Contest Description

Contest entries address "How chemical engineering can be applied to solve societal needs for a community"

Submissions provide a chemical engineering solution to problems often encountered in community-scale quality of life improvement projects in a location of need. Examples of typical problems would be water treatment, alternate energy sources, energy efficiency, and preservation/production of crops and foods. This list is not intended to limit your possibilities.  Submissions must provide proof of concept (calculation, experimental, or reference) that the proposed solution is applicable for this specific situation; apply chemical engineering; and provide socially and culturally appropriate design solutions.

Entries should include:

1. Clearly defined community issue/need and problem to be addressed, and an articulation of the importance of the problem.

2. Research background on problem and technologies previously used in other locations/applications, and an articulation of the degree of innovation in your solution.

3. Provide a design plan that includes:

  1. Design decisions that take into consideration technical, maintenance, financial, environmental, social, and cultural sustainability.
  2. An assessment of any safety issues and how design addresses appropriate implementation in the partner community 
  3. Provide Proof of concept data (prototype, experiments, or calculations /simulation of the process) to show design feasibility
  4. Provide estimated costs for initial installation, maintenance, and operation.

4. Final design should include:

  1. Drawings of system
  2. How design addresses community need
  3. How community can/did implement these designs
  4. Effect this project will have on the community’s quality of life and any anticipated negative impacts of the project on the community.

For more information contact Gina Gatto at membership@aiche.org and visit this page regularly for updated information.

Timeline

Deadline for submission is May 15, 2024

Submission link will be posted soon. 

This competition encourages chemical engineering students and their colleagues to consider how chemical engineering...

AIChE K-12 STEM Outreach Competition

Details
Award

Evaluation Criteria

Modules will be assessed by volunteer judges on 10 criteria:

  1. Feasibility – mobility, accessibility, & cost
  2. Meaningfulness of objectives
  3. Target audience appropriate explanation of theory or concepts
  4. Connection to real world application
  5. Audience specialization
  6. Audience interactivity
  7. Innovativeness or creativity
  8. Safety
  9. Benefit to volunteers
  10. Takeaway handouts

Awards

EXECUTIVE STUDENT COMMITTEE AWARDS

for undergraduate student-submitted modules accepted for presentation and participation in the competition

  • 1st Place Award & $500 USD
  • 2nd Place Award & $300 USD

K-12 COMMITTEE AWARDS

for non- undergraduate student submitted modules accepted for presentation and participation in the competition:

  • 1st Place Award & $500 USD
  • 2nd Place Award & $300 USD

And more

  • Top K-2 Module Award & $200 USD

  • Top 3-5 Module Award & $200 USD

  • Top 6-8 Module Award & $200 USD

  • Top 9-12 Module Award & $200 USD

DeadlineSeptember 1, 2023
AdministratorsExecutive Student Committee (ESC), Societal Impact Operating Council (SIOC)
PresentationAwards will be presented at the conclusion of the event. Award winning modules will be included in a central repository of educational resources for use in K-12 STEM Outreach initiatives.
Nomination Instructions

Entry

Interested participants must review and fulfill all eligibility criteria, requirements for modules, and all entry requirements in their entirety by the specified deadline in order to be considered for participation in the competition.

Please be advised that due to space and time limitations, we will not be able to accept all submitted modules for participation in the competition.

Competitors may submit a maximum of one competition entry per target audience, for a maximum of four total submissions from any competing entity.

Eligibility Criteria

  • All participants must be active AIChE members
  • All participants must be active AIChE K-12 Community members
  • Undergraduate student participants must register to attend the Annual Student Conference
  • All other participants must register to attend Annual Meeting
  • Entries will be accepted from both teams and individuals

Requirements, Forms, & Documents

Requirements for Modules

Entry Form Questions

Safety Assessment Form

Handout #1 Template

Handout #2 Template

Institute Policies Attestation Form

List of Past Modules

Deadline for Entry

September 1st, 11:59 PM ET

Timeline for Notification

Primary contacts associated with submissions accepted for presentation will be notified of acceptance in mid-September (Target: September 15th)

Entry Instructions

Ready to submit your module?

Step 1: Submit an ENTRY FORM 

Step 2: Submit a VIDEO 

*Prior to uploading, please ensure that your video file name matches your "Name of Module" as indicated in your entry form. 

Contact k12@aiche.org with any related questions. 

SponsorsAIChE Foundation – All for Good Campaign

2023 AIChE K-12 STEM Outreach Competition

The 2023 AIChE K–12 STEM Outreach Competition will take place Sunday, November 5, 2023...

Chem-E-Car Competition® Award

Details
Award

Regional first and second prize winners receive $200 and $100, respectively. Regional prize winners compete at the Chem-E-Car Competition Finals at the Annual Student Conference.

The first, second and third prizes at the Chem-E-Car Competition Finals will be $2000, $1000, and $500 respectively.

AdministratorsStudent Chapters Committee
PresentationRegional awards are presented at the appropriate regional conference. Awards from the Chem-E-Car Competition Finals are presented at the AIChE Annual Student Conference.
Nomination Instructions

Deadlines for regional conferences vary. Visit the Regional Conferences page for details.

See Student Conferences

SponsorsChevron Corporation

Team members design and construct a chemically powered vehicle within certain size constraints. This vehicle must be designed to also carry a specified cargo. The teams will be told at the time of the competition the distance that the car must travel and the specified cargo that the vehicle will...

ChemE Cube Competition

Details
AdministratorsRAPID Manufacturing Institute
SponsorsExxonMobil

Powered by RAPID | ExxonMobil

...

ChemE Jeopardy Competition

Details
SponsorsOmega Chi Epsilon

ChemE Jeopardy is a trivia competition utilizing questions from Chemical Engineering Undergrad Coursework.  ChemE Jeopardy Competitions are held at the Regional Conference level in the Spring.  The Championship teams from each of the 14 Student Regional Conferences go on to compete at the Annual Student Conference in the Fall to determine the Champion school for the year.

ChemE-Sports Competition

Details
SponsorsPetroskills

A chemical engineering optimization and safety skills competition based on a distillation unit combining Virtual Reality with a Distributed Control System.

Donald F. & Mildred Topp Othmer Scholarship Awards

Details
Award

$1,000 and a certificate.

DeadlineJune 15, 2023
AdministratorsAIChE
PresentationScholarship funds are sent to recipients in the fall of each year.
Nomination Instructions

Rules, Criteria and Submission Requirements

  1. Only one nomination will be accepted from each AIChE Student Chapter. In the event that there is more than one qualified member of a student chapter or club, the advisor must select using the criteria below, which member to nominate. 
  2. Applicants must be AIChE student members at the time of the nomination and undergraduates in Chemical Engineering during the 2023 – 2024 academic year. Nominees must have completed approximately 50% of their degree requirement at the start of the 2023-2024 academic years (i.e. junior standing in chemical engineering in a 4 year program or equivalent for a 5 year co-op program). The chapter advisor may nominate a student who will complete the chemical engineering baccalaureate degree requirements in mid year (i.e. after one semester or one or two quarters), but such nominees, if selected, will receive prorated awards.  
  3. Nomination must be made by the Student Chapter Advisor.
  4. Selection of winners will be based on the following criteria:
    1. The applicant’s academic record.
    2. The applicant’s participation in AIChE Student Chapter, and other professional activities as outlined by the Student Chapter advisor in his/her nomination letter.
    3. The support of the nominee by the Student Chapter Advisor.
    4. Applicant’s career objectives and plans as outlined in his/her career essay.
  5. Cash awards totaling $15,000 will be made for use during the 2023-2024 academic year; individual awards for the full academic year will be $1,000. Awardees will be notified by October 1 and then required to provide individual tax information (social security number for U.S. residents) in order to receive payment. All award prizes must be claimed by December 31.

Instructions for submitting an application

A complete application for the AIChE Donald F. and Mildred Topp Othmer Scholarship Award will contain a copy of each of the following items (each letter should contain an original signature to be scanned and uploaded). All applications are submitted online.
 
From the student:
  • A completed application form submitted online.
  • A statement from the nominee not to exceed 300 words, outlining career plans and objectives in chemical engineering including immediate plans after graduation and long range career objectives.
 
From the college:
  • A letter of recommendation from the AIChE student chapter advisor containing verification of nominee’s GPA and projected completion date as well as an evaluation of the student’s academic performance and participation in AIChE and other professional activities.

It's important to read and understand the above Rules, Criteria and Submission Requirements for the Donald F. and Mildred Topp Othmer Scholarship Award before submitting your application. It is also recommended that you prepare your answers and have your supporting documents ready in advance of completing the online application (answers and supporting documents cannot be saved within the application before submission). Incomplete or unqualified applications will not be accepted.

Go to Application Form

The Donald F. and Mildred Topp Othmer Scholarship Awards of $1,000 each are awarded to chemical engineering students for their outstanding academic achievement and involvement in student chapter activities.

Donald F. Othmer Second Year Student Academic Excellence Award

Details
Award
  • Free Registration to the upcoming Annual Student Conference (Valued at $150)
  • Certificate of Recognition

DeadlineJuly 1, 2023
Presentation The award is presented each year at AIChE's Annual Meeting.
Nomination Instructions

Rules, Requirements and Selection Criteria 

To be eligible for this prize, the nominee must be an active AIChE undergraduate student member at the time of the nomination. The nominee’s student chapter also MUST file an Annual Report with AIChE by July 1. Award nominations may be submitted in advance of the report, with the expectation that the chapter will file a report by the reporting deadline. 

Go to Nomination Form

Note: It is recommended that you prepare your answers and have any supporting documents ready in advance of completing the nomination form (answers and supporting documents cannot be saved within the application before submission). Incomplete or unqualified nomination forms will not be accepted.

SponsorsScaleUp Sponsors

The Sophomore Academic Excellence Award is presented to the one AIChE student member in each student chapter who has attained the highest scholastic grade-point average during his/her first and second years of undergraduate education, on recommendation of the Student Chapter Advisor.

Engineers Without Borders USA Grant Award

Details
AdministratorsGlobal Societal Initiatives Committee
Nomination Instructions

To learn more about applying for an Engineers Without Borders USA Grant Award, visit the EWB USA website.

Learn more

Engineers Without Borders USA (EWB) builds a better world through engineering projects that empower communities to meet their basic human needs and equip tomorrow’s technology leaders to solve the world’s most pressing challenges. Each year, AIChE’s Societal Impact Operating Council sponsors EWB...

EPA P3 Youth Council on Sustainable Science and Technology (YCOSST) Award

Details
Award

An award of $1,000 will be provided by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers-Institute for Sustainability (AIChE-IfS) to the team that best meets their criteria. The winning team will have the opportunity to present their outstanding work at the following AIChE Annual Meeting and will be invited to present a webinar that is to be published on the AIChE ChemE on Demand Archive.

DeadlineJune 1, 2023
AdministratorsInstitute for Sustainability (IfS)
PresentationThe YCOSST Award is presented at the conclusion of the National Sustainable Design Expo at the P3 Award ceremony. This year’s Expo will co-occur with the TechConnect World Innovation Conference (https://www.techconnectworld.com/World2019/), June 17-18 in Boston, Massachusetts.
Nomination Instructions

YCOSST Award Evaluation Criteria

Development

  • Did research involve interdisciplinary collaboration?
  • Were novel, innovative technologies used to facilitate distance communication during research?
  • Were sustainable practices employed during research?

Deployment to Regions wtih Limited Resources 

  • Can youth or people without significant financial ability or property rights obtain and use the device/invention?

Materials

  • Are the materials locally produced and available to the general population?
  • Can the device/invention be maintained locally?

Youth Involvement

  • Can youth be an integral part of the implementation?
  • Does the device/invention/finding directly benefit youth?

See More on EPA Site

YCOSST was formed by the partnership of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers’ (AIChE) Institute for Sustainability (IfS) and SustainUS, a nonprofit organization of young people advancing sustainable development and youth empowerment in the United States. This award was established to...

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