Awards

Innovation Award for Students

Are you a student looking to fund your innovative research in Cryospheric Science? Consider participating in the Flash Freeze competition at this year’s Fall Meeting!

The AGU Cryosphere Section Executive Committee is now accepting applications for the Cryosphere Innovation Award for Students that will be decided in the Flash Freeze competition during the Fall Meeting (Thursday, December 16 at 6:00 pm). The award is open to all students attending the 2021 Fall Meeting and is given to support and recognize innovative student-led research in the Cryospheric Sciences.

Students wishing to participate in this year's competition are required to submit a letter of intent (not to exceed one (1) page) and a CV (not to exceed two (2) pages) to the Innovation Award subcommittee chaired by Ryan Webb via email at rwebb@unm.edu by November 24, 2021 at midnight US eastern time.

Approximately twenty (20) applicants will be selected for participation in the Flash Freeze competition and will be notified on December 3, 2021. During the competition, the student will give a two-minute pitch of their innovative idea to a panel of five (5) judges. Slides or props may be used but the pitch cannot exceed the two-minute allowance. The Flash Freeze will take place Thursday, December 16 at 6:00 pm. This year it is expected that ~5 awards of $1000 each will be awarded to the student winners from the Flash Freeze event to pursue their innovative research.

Further specific details are listed below, and we look forward to seeing exciting and innovative student-led ideas at this year’s event.

Award Goal & Scope

The Innovation Award for Cryospheric Sciences is granted once a year to students within the Cryosphere Section showing great potential and innovative work within the field. This award is designed to provide the student with resources, in the form of a mini-grant, to advance their innovation. Innovative projects may include, but are not limited to, instrument design, model adaptation, field techniques, studies in new geographic regions, studies involving new collaborations including inter-and trans-disciplinary partners, science communication and education, and remote sensing methods.

Eligibility

Student nominees must be an AGU member with the Cryosphere Section listed as their primary or secondary affiliation. Student is defined as currently enrolled in an educational institution.

Judging Details and Specifics

During the Flash Freeze event each student competitor will present their idea and will give a two-minute pitch of the idea to the Innovation Award Subcommittee. Props, a poster, or slides can be used during the two-minute oral presentation. Applicants will be judged on their two-minute presentations by the creativity of the proposed innovative work, the feasibility of the proposed work, and the persuasiveness of the presentation. Any material presented beyond the 2-minute period will not be judged. The Cryosphere Section Executive Committee will appoint an Innovation Award Subcommittee, and the Innovation Award Subcommittee will use AGU conflicts of interest policy for award selection. The Innovation Award Subcommittee will convene directly after the Flash Freeze competition and select the winners of the mini-grant associated with the Innovation Award.

Requirements and Deadlines

The application package for the 2021 Cryosphere Innovation Award, consisting of a letter of intent and CV, detailed below, is for the sole purpose of identifying the expected number of applicants and down selecting if needed. Of the nomination packages received, approximately 20 will be invited to present at the Flash Freeze Competition. Each student will be judged solely on the 2-minute presentation and not on the nomination package.

Each nomination package should include the following and is due to the Innovation Award subcommittee on November 24, 2021 by midnight eastern time:

- One (1) letter of intent from the Student nominee to participate in the Cryosphere Innovation Award for Student Competition – preferably on letterhead with the author's signature – including a description from the student on how the award money will be used to further their innovative research. This letter should demonstrate that the idea is well-thought-out and feasible (not to exceed one (1) page).

- The Student's curriculum vitae (not to exceed two (2) pages)

Selectees for the Flash Freeze event will be notified on December 3, 2021. If selected for the Flash Freeze event the Student will be required to present at the 2021 Fall Meeting:

- One (1) two-minute oral presentation on their proposed innovative research.

Props, a poster, or slides can be used during the two-minute oral presentation. Applicants will be judged on their 2-minute presentations by the creativity of the proposed innovative work, the feasibility of the proposed work, and the persuasiveness of the presentation. Any material presented beyond the 2-minute period will not be judged.

2020 Winners

  • Catherine Breen (University of Washington),
  • Raven Mitchell (Michigan State University),
  • Johannes Landmann (ETH Zurich),
  • Zachary Keskinen (Montana State University), and
  • Austin Carter (University of California - Sand Diego)

2019 Winners

  • Ugo Nanni (University of Grenoble),
  • Martin Altenburg (Stanford University),
  • Laura Halbach (Aarhus University),
  • Julia Stuart (Northern Arizona University), and
  • Richard Barnes (University of California, Berkeley)

2018 Winners

  • Caroline Aubry-Wake (University of Saskatchewan),
  • Tom Hudson (University of Cambridge),
  • Mickey MacKie (Stanford University),
  • Emma Kahle (University of Washington), and
  • Kelly Kochanski (University of Colorado Boulder)

2017 Winners

  • Lukas Preiswerk,
  • Emma Menio,
  • Yiyi Huang,
  • Rohi Muthyala, and
  • Sean Peters

2016 Winners

  • Mike MacFerrin,
  • Sasha Leidman,
  • Jim Coll,
  • Jakob Steiner,
  • Denis Felikson, and
  • Chris Marsh

2015 Winners

  • Camilo Rada,
  • Aleah Sommers,
  • Mathieu Casado,
  • Nikolas Aksamit,
  • Mia Bennett, and
  • Phillip Harder