In 1992 the Polymer Division created a new award, the Australian Polymer Science & Technology Achievement Award, to recognize the achievement of Australian polymer scientists while their careers are still developing. This was renamed the David Sangster Polymer Science and Technology Achievement Award at the 29th Australasian Polymer Symposium in Hobart in February 2007 in honour of David Sangster, an elder statesman of the Australasian polymer science community who has made exemplary contributions to the field of polymer radiation chemistry and emulsion polymerisation and has nurtured many generations of research students at the University of Sydney and many other universities.

The aim of this award is to encourage their work in polymer science or technology and to help them gain international recognition. This award is designed to fill a gap between the Treloar Prize (age limit 30) and the senior awards of the Polymer Division, namely the Polymer Division Citations and the Australian Polymer Medal.

Nominations are being sought for the Australian Polymer Science and Technology Achievement Award for 2008. Nominations are sought for the award from people in industry, universities or government organizations working in fundamental or applied areas.

The conditions of the award are as follows:

1. The award is made for individual achievement in the science or technology of polymers.

2. The recipient must be a corporate member of the RACI of at least 3 years standing and a current resident of Australia or New Zealand .

3. The recipient must be under the age of 40 on 1 March 2008.

4. Each nominee must submit a 500 word statement describing his or her achievements in polymer science and technology, together with a curriculum vitae which includes a list of publications and patents.

5. A nomination must be seconded by two RACI members and include the names of two referees who can comment on the nominees achievements. Referees may second nominations.

6. The RACI Polymer Division shall appoint a sub-committee of RACI members to consider nominations and to make recommendations to it. No award shall be made if the standing committee considers that there is no candidate of sufficient merit.

7. The 2008 award will be presented at the 30th Australasian Polymer Symposium in Melbourne in December 2008. The recipient will be expected to present a lecture during 30APS. The Polymer Division will provide reasonable expenses for the winner to attend 30APS.

8. Nominations should be sent to the secretary of the Polymer Division, A/Prof. Sebastien Perrier, Key Centre for Polymer Colloids, School of Chemistry , Building 11 The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, S.Perrier@chem.usyd.edu.au , no later than August 31, 2008.

The previous recipients of the Award are: