Margaret C. Etter Early Career Award

To recognize outstanding achievement and exceptional potential in crystallographic research demonstrated by a scientist at an early stage of their independent career. The award is established to honor the memory of Professor Margaret C. Etter (1943-1992), who was a major contributor to the field of organic solid-state chemistry. Her work particularly emphasized the use of hydrogen bonds and co-crystals. In addition to a large body of experimental work she was the major force in devising a set of rules known as graph sets to describe hydrogen bonds in a way that revealed similarities between structures without being tied up in the crystallographic details. Her experience teaching at an undergraduate institution and in working in both an industrial and academic setting gave her an unusually broad perspective from which to mentor students and to support and encourage colleagues. She had a love for people, for science, and especially for people who do science, that we honor. Established in 2002 as an annual award, it consists of a monetary award of $1,000 and plaque. The winner will present a lecture at the American Crystallographic Association Annual Meeting. Scientists involved in crystallographic research in the broadest sense will be eligible for the award. At the time of the closing date for nominations, nominees must be no more than 12 years beyond the awarding of their Ph.D. degree, not including career breaks, and must have begun their first independent (not postdoctoral) position within the past 10 years. Nominees employed in tenure-track academic positions must not yet have received tenure. Nominations must include as a minimum a nomination letter clearly indicating the accomplishments of the individual since beginning their independent career and assessing the future potential of the nominee. Three supporting letters and a c.v. for the nominee may be provided but are not requirements. Self-nominations are permitted. Nominees may be employed in regular academic positions, as service crystallographers, in industrial positions or in government laboratory positions.