Frequently Asked Questions

Do conference proceedings count as publications for graduate students?

We will accept conference proceedings for graduate students, but the "quality" of the publication is considered part of the application, and journal articles rank higher than conference proceedings. If you are submitting a proceeding from a juried conference, please state "juried conference proceeding" in the "Further explanation" section of the application. You can also submit any additional materials used at the conference that support your application.


I am a student, and I also work at a national laboratory. Am I eligible?
I am a student, and I also work for a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) contractor. Am I eligible?

If you work for a national laboratory or a DOE contractor, you are eligible.


I am a student, and also a DOE employee. Am I eligible?

Unfortunately, direct DOE employees are not eligible.


I won an award in a previous Innovations competition. Am I eligible this year?

Possibly. You are eligible only for a higher award than the one you have already won. Here are the conditions for previous winners to be eligible:

  • If you won First Place in the Open Competition, you are not eligible.
  • If you won Second Place in the Open Competition, you are eligible for First Place in the Open Competition.
  • If you won an award in the Competition for Universities with Lower R&D Expenditures, you are eligible for First or Second Place in the Open Competition.
  • If you won an award in the Undergraduate Competition, you are eligible for both of the other competitions.

Can I re-submit a publication I submitted for a previous Innovations Awards?

A publication that has been previously submitted can be re-submitted if its publication date falls within the current requirements. A publication that has already won an Innovations Award is not eligible.


Can I submit more than one publication?

You may submit as many publications as you like, but only one can receive an Innovations Award.


A publication must have been accepted BEFORE entering the competition, is that correct?

Yes.


I am wondering about what counts as a publication. Does it need to be in a journal?

Conference papers as well as journal articles will be considered, weighing more highly for undergraduates than for graduates. We encourage anyone who thinks they may have an eligible paper to apply.


I have a paper which has been accepted for a conference later this year, and it will not be officially published until that conference. Can I submit it?

You may submit a paper if it has been accepted for presentation at the conference. On the application under "Further explanation for any of the above responses," explain that the paper has been accepted, and give the expected date of the presentation.


Does the paper submitted to the Innovations Awards need to be the same as the one published or presented? My paper has been submitted and accepted, but I've done some research and adjusted some of the results, and I wonder if it's allowable for my submission to reflect that.

Submit the paper as published. On the application under "Further explanation for any of the above responses" explain that the published paper has been submitted and that a paper with the adjusted results is available upon request. You might also give a general description of the changes. Then provide the updated paper, if it is requested.


Do I have to submit my paper to the ANS Winter Meeting?

The First Place winners of the Open Competition will present their papers at this year's ANS Winter Meeting in a special Innovations Awards session. If you win a First Place award in the Open Competition, you will submit a summary of your paper to the ANS Winter Meeting. This is IN ADDITION TO and SEPARATE FROM your application for the Innovations Awards.

Your summary should be based upon the research you submitted in your application, but it needs to be fully updated with your latest research results. It should not be identical to your previously published award-winning paper. Also, the ANS has very specific guidelines, and those guidelines must be followed. You must use the ANS Guidelines and Template, and meet the ANS requirements and deadline for your submission. If you win a First Place Innovations Award, we will help you with the summary process.