Frequently Asked Questions

Do conference proceedings count as publications for graduate students?
The quality of the "publication" is considered as a part of the application, and conference proceedings are less likely to be ranked highly the greater the student's education. Having said that, the answer is "Yes, we will consider conference proceedings for graduate students." We suggest that if you are submitting a proceeding from a juried conference that you state "juried conference proceeding" in the "Further explanation" section of the application. You should also submit any additional materials used at the conference that specifically support your Innovations application.

I am a student and I work at a national laboratory. Am I eligible?
I am a student and I work for a DOE contractor. Am I eligible?
Yes, if you work for a national laboratory or a DOE contractor and you meet all the criteria that qualify you for an award, you are eligible.

I won an award in a previous Innovations competition. Am I eligible in 2013?
Possibly. Here are the possible scenarios that would make you eligible or ineligible:

  • If you won a first-place award in the Open Competition, you are not eligible.
  • If you won a second-place award in the Open Competition, you are eligible for a first-place award in the Open Competition. You are not eligible for another second-place award in the Open Competition, or an award in the Competition for Universities with <$600 Million in 2011 Science and Engineering R&D Expenditures or the Undergraduate Competition.
  • If you won an award in the 2011 or 2012 "Competition for Universities with <$630 Million in 2009 Science and Engineering R&D Expenditures" or the 2010 "Competition for Universities with <$500 Million in 2008 Science and Engineering R&D Expenditures," you are eligible for an award in the Open Competition. You are not eligible for another award in the Competition for Universities with <$600 Million in 2011 Science and Engineering R&D Expenditures or the Undergraduate Competition.
  • If you won an award in the Undergraduate Competition, you are eligible for an award in the Open Competition or the Competition for Universities with <$600 Million in 2011 Science and Engineering R&D Expenditures. You are not eligible for another award in the Undergraduate Competition.

Can I resubmit a publication I submitted for a previous Innovations competition?
A publication that has been previously submitted can be resubmitted if its publication date falls within the 2013 eligibility requirements. However, any publication that has already won an Innovations award is not eligible for resubmission.

Can an applicant submit more than one publication?
Yes. An applicant can receive only one prize, but may submit more than one publication for consideration.

I'm wondering about the publication rules: I understand that a publication must have been accepted BEFORE entering the competition, is that correct?
Yes, that is correct.

I am wondering about what counts as a publication (i.e. are only peer-reviewed conference papers acceptable, or does the publication outlet need to be a journal)?
Conference papers as well as journal articles will be considered for undergraduates. 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 the conference. Can I submit this paper?
You may submit a paper if it has been accepted, but has not yet been published or presented. On the application under "Further explanation for any of the above responses" explain that the paper has been accepted and give a projected date of publication or presentation.

Does the paper submitted to the competition 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 exactly as originally published. On the application under "Further explanation for any of the above responses" explain that the original paper has been submitted and that a paper with the adjusted results is available upon request. You might also explain which parts have changed or give a general description of the changed results. Then provide the updated paper if it is requested.

I am a student and also a DOE employee. Am I eligible for the Innovations in Fuel Cycle Research Awards?
Unfortunately, DOE employees are not eligible for these awards.

How do I submit my paper to present at the ANS Winter Meeting session "Innovations in Fuel Cycle Research – a Student Competition?"
One of the perks of the Innovations award is that the First Place winners of the Open Competition will present their papers at the ANS Winter Meeting in a special session – "Innovations in Fuel Cycle Research – a Student Competition." If you win a First Place award in the Open Competition, you must submit a summary of your paper to the ANS Winter Meeting. This is in ADDITION TO and SEPARATE FROM the application for the Innovations in Fuel Cycle Research Awards. Please do not submit a summary in this category unless you have won a First Place award in the Open Competition.

Your summary should be based upon the research you submitted in your Innovations application, but it needs to be fully updated with your latest research results. It should not be identical to your award-winning paper that has already been published. It is also important to note that the ANS has very specific guidelines and those guidelines must be followed. ANS also has a template which must be used.

Who should submit a summary to the ANS Winter Meeting?
All First Place winners in the Open Competition.

What is submitted to the ANS Winter Meeting?
You must use the ANS Guidelines and the ANS template and meet the ANS requirements for your submission. At the meeting, you will present your most up-to-date research (based upon but not identical to) results from the paper that won an Innovations award.

When does a summary need to be submitted to the ANS Winter Meeting?
Submit your summary as soon as possible after the Innovations awards have been announced and before the ANS Winter Meeting summary deadline, projected to be June 5, 2013. Confirm the deadline on the ans.org website.

When and where is the ANS Winter Meeting?
The ANS Winter Meeting is November 10-14, 2013 in Washington D.C.

The presenters in the Innovations session of the ANS Winter Meeting are the First Place winners of the Open Competition only. To keep things simple and ensure that the ANS receives only the award-winning summaries for the session, the "Innovations in Fuel Cycle Research – a Student Competition" is not listed in the call for papers. There will be a session available in the electronic paper submission and review system for "Innovations in Fuel Cycle Research – a Student Competition."

If you have any questions, please let us know so that we may help you with the summary process.