The Society for Applied Spectroscopy bestows honors on its members through a number of different awards. Please click on each award to learn more about the award and past awardees.

To nominate an SAS member for the Emeritus, Honorary Member, Distinguished Service, or Fellow Award, use the 2025 Nomination Form. In order to be considered for the 2025 award, the nomination must be received by December 1, 2024.

William J. Poehlman Award – This award is granted to the Regional Section of the Society which has contributed the most towards accomplishing the goals and ideals of the Society during the preceding year. It consists of a certificate and an honorarium whose amount will be determined annually by the Executive Committee. This award is sponsored by the Society. The recipient shall be nominated by the Regional Section Affairs Committee for approval by the Executive Committee. 

Applied Spectroscopy William F. Meggers Award – This award is given to the author(s) of the outstanding paper appearing in Applied Spectroscopy during the previous calendar year. It is awarded at the Society’s award ceremony following the calendar year of publication and shall consist of an appropriate commemorative award and an honorarium whose amount will be determined annually by the Executive Committee. The honorarium shall be awarded to the corresponding author to be shared among the co-authors as they choose. Financial assistance to support one of the authors of the publication to allow them to receive the award may be provided by the Society upon approval by the Executive Committee or Governing Board. Arrangements must be coordinated by the Executive Director. 

Lester W. Strock Award – This award has been established by the New England Section and is given annually to an author or authors of an outstanding paper or series of papers which are collectively outstanding. The criteria, selection process, and administration of the award shall be the responsibility of the New England Section. 

Lippincott Award – This award is given to honor the memory of Ellis R. Lippincott. The medal is sponsored jointly by the Society, the Coblentz Society and the Optical Society of America. The recipient of the award shall have made significant contributions to vibrational spectroscopy. These contributions may be theoretical, experimental or both, as well as basic or applied. 

Bruce R. Kowalski Award in Chemometrics 

Distinguished Service Award – This award is established to recognize individual members for their long-time service to the Society. The Award consists of an engraved plaque and a lifetime membership in the Society. This membership shall include all the privileges and rights of a regular member. The award shall be presented at the Society’s award ceremony. Nomination for the Distinguished Service Award may be made by Regional, Technical and or Student Sections, individual members, the Awards Committee or the Executive Committee. 

Honorary Membership Award – This award is established to recognize individuals for their exceptional contributions to the field of spectroscopy and is the highest award given by the Society. The Award consists of an engraved plaque and a lifetime membership in the Society. This membership shall include all the privileges and rights of a regular member. The award shall be presented at the Society’s award ceremony. Regional, Technical and or Student Sections, individual members, the Awards Committee, or the Executive Committee may make nomination for the Honorary Membership Award. 

SAS Graduate Student Award – This award, also known as the Barbara Stull Graduate Student Award, is given to up to 2 graduate students in recognition of outstanding research in the area of spectroscopy. Any full-time student doing research in the field of spectroscopy shall be eligible for the award. The recipient(s) shall be selected by the Awards Committee for approval by the Executive Committee. 

Undergraduate Award in Applied Spectroscopy – This award is given to up to 5 junior or senior undergraduate students in recognition of outstanding research in the area of spectroscopy. To be eligible for the award, the nominee must be a full-time undergraduate student doing research in the field of spectroscopy and the student’s research advisor must also be a member of the Society. 

Emeritus Membership Award – This award recognizes members who have contributed to spectroscopy and have been members of the Society for 15 years, and have retired from active scientific endeavor. The award consists of an engraved plaque and a lifetime membership in the Society. This membership shall include all the privileges and rights of a regular member.

Fellows – This award is established to recognize individual members for their outstanding achievements in and contributions to the science, the profession and the Society. The award consists of a plaque and recognition at the Society’s award ceremony. Up to 12 Fellows per year may be selected. Nomination for the award of Fellow must be made by current Society Fellows, the Executive Committee, the Governing Board or the Fellows Committee. 

SAS/NASLIBS Award – This award is given to the author(s) of the outstanding LIBS paper appearing in the Journal.

SAS Atomic Technical Section Student Award – This award will be given to up to 4 students (undergraduate or graduate) who are Society members and who have excelled in the area of Atomic Spectroscopy. Students selected for this award will be required to present their work as an oral presentation at the Society’s National Meeting. 

President's Award - This award is established to recognize individual members for extraordinary contribution(s) in service within the preceding 24 months to the Society or for noteworthy achievement in the science of applied spectroscopy. 

Gold Medal Award - New York/New Jersey SAS sponsors the Gold Medal award, recognizing outstanding contributions in the field of Applied Spectroscopy. The Gold Medal will be presented at a special award symposium, arranged in honor of the awardee, at the Eastern Analytical Symposium. 2025 nominations can be accepted here. You can see a list of previous winners here.