Systems, Man, and Cybernetics Society Awards - IEEE Systems ...

Systems, Man, and Cybernetics Society Awards
The SMC Society recognizes outstanding volunteers and their significant achievements in SMC fields
of interest by various awards. These awards are listed below and are usually given annually except that
some will be given only periodically when there is not a uniquely qualified nominee. The SMC
Awards Committee makes all selections from nominated candidates except the IEEE International
Conference on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics Best Student Paper Award. Award winners will be
announced in the IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics. Additional recognition will be
given at the annual IEEE SMC Conference Banquet. All nominations are due by May 31.
1. Joseph G. Wohl Outstanding Career Award
Description:
Prize:
Funding:
Eligibility:
Presentation:
To recognize outstanding professional service and/or contributions to systems
engineering concepts, methodology, design, education, or management.
$2,000, plaque, and certificate. Travel expense reimbursement for recipient to
attend SMC Conference, if funds are otherwise unavailable.
Donation from Alphatech, Inc., administered by the IEEE Foundation, and
partial funding by the Systems, Man, and Cybernetics Society.
Must be IEEE member, generally 55 years or older.
Aperiodically, at the SMC Conference.
2. Norbert Wiener Award
Description:
Prize:
Funding:
Eligibility:
Presentation:
To recognize very significant contributions to research in systems, human
factors, or cybernetics.
$2,000, plaque, and certificate.
IEEE Systems, Man, and Cybernetics Society.
Open to members and nonmembers.
Aperiodically, at the annual SMC Conference.
3. Outstanding Contribution Award
Description:
Prize:
Funding:
Eligibility:
To recognize significant contributions to the fields of IEEE Systems, Man, and
Cybernetics Society interest.
Plaque or certificate.
IEEE Systems, Man, and Cybernetics Society.
Open to members and nonmembers.

Presentation:
Aperiodically, at the SMC Conference.
4. Franklin V. Taylor Memorial Award
Description:
Prize:
Funding:
Eligibility:
Basis for Judging:
Presentation:
To recognize the best oral presentation and paper given at the SMC Annual
Conference.
$500 and certificate.
IEEE Systems, Man, and Cybernetics Society.
Presentations given at SMC annual conference in the preceding year.
Effectiveness of presentation, quality and technical merit of written paper.
Annually, at the SMC Conference.
5. Andrew P. Sage Best Transactions Paper Award (established in 1998)
Description:
Prize:
Funding:
Eligibility:
Basis for Judging:
Presentation:
To recognize the authors of the best paper published annually in the IEEE
Transactions on Systems, Man and Cybernetics.
$500 for each author (up to a maximum of $2,500 for multiple authors), and a
certificate for each author.
Funded by the IEEE Systems, Man, and Cybernetics Society.
Authors of papers published in Parts A, B or C of the IEEE Transactions on
Systems, Man, and Cybernetics during a given calendar year.
Criteria include originality, technical merit, potential impact on the field, and
presentation quality.
Annually, at the SMC Conference.
6. Best Associate Editor Award
Description:
Prize:
Funding:
Eligibility:
Presentation:
To recognize the best Associate Editor of the three SMC Transactions.
Plaque or Certificate
Funded by the IEEE Systems, Man, and Cybernetics Society.
Open to members and nonmembers.
Aperiodically, at SMC Conference.
7. IEEE International Conference on Systems, Man, And Cybernetics Best Student Paper Award

Description:
Prize:
Funding:
Eligibility:
Basis for Judging:
To recognize the best student paper published and presented at the IEEE
International Conference on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics. The purpose of this
award is to stimulate students to submit outstanding papers to the Conference.
$500 and plaque for the finalist; if multiple authors, the prize will be split
equally and each author will receive a plaque. All semi-finalists receive a ticket
to attend the awards banquet at the conference.
Funded by the IEEE Systems, Man, and Cybernetics Society which provides the
Student Activities Committee with an annual budget for activities involving
students at the annual SMC Conference.
A submitted abstract for publication in the conference proceedings must be
accepted by the Conference Committee. When camera-ready copies of accepted
papers are submitted, students must check the box on the paper certification
form to participate in the competition. Submissions for the competition are not
accepted after the deadline for submitting camera-ready copies of papers for
printing. Award eligibility is contingent on the lead author being a major
contributor to both the written paper and the research described in the paper. The
lead author must be or have been a student at the time the described research
was completed. The lead authors of the semi-finalist papers are required to
attend the conference and present their submission in both a special student
papers session as well as in their regular session. There are no restrictions, that
require IEEE or Systems, Man, and Cybernetics Society memberships for
contest eligibility.
Students who want their paper considered for this award are required to select
the contest consideration statement on the paper certification form which is
required when the camera-ready paper is submitted for publication. All papers to
be considered for the award are forwarded to the Student Activities Committee.
Each paper is reviewed by three reviewers who rate the content; significance to
related research; existence of adequate references; written clarity and
organization; overall presentation; and overall quality of the paper. An attempt is
made to match paper content to reviewer expertise. The five to six papers with
the highest ratings are selected as semi-finalists. All semi-finalist selections are
required to attend the conference. If one of the primary selections can not attend
the conference, this selection will be replaced with the next highest rated
submission. The semi-finalist papers are sent to each member of the judges
panel for review prior to the paper session at the conference. The semi-finalist
papers are presented by the lead author at the conference. During the
presentation, the panel of judges completes a presentation review and is
permitted to ask the presenter questions. Factors which the judges consider on
the presentation review form are quality of presentation content; overall oral
presentation quality; ability to communicate research topic; ability to answer
questions; an overall rating for the paper and presentation; and a ranking for the
author compared to the other presenters. At the completion of the Best Student
Paper Session, the results from the judges panel reviews are tabulated. The
presenter with the highest rating is determined the winner. If there is a tie for the

winner, the judges panel determines the winner. The Student Activities Chair
then recommends the panel of judge’s selection to the chair of the Systems, Man,
and Cybernetics Awards committee.
Presentation:
The presentation of the Best Student Award occurs at the annual banquet at the
IEEE International Conference on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics. The award
presented at the banquet is for the contest at that conference not the previous
conference. The award is presented in the name of the IEEE Systems, Man, and
Cybernetics Society.
8. Most Active SMC Technical Committee
Description:
Prize:
Funding:
Eligibility:
Presentation:
To recognize the most active SMC Technical Committee.
$1000 and Plaque or Certificate
Funded by the IEEE Systems, Man, and Cybernetics Society.
Open to all SMC Technical Committees.
Aperiodically, at annual SMC Conference.
The award selection process is as follows:
1. The Sr. Past President makes a call for nomination.
2. The Sr. Past President then selects an award committee of at least three people or more, restricted to
BOG members and/or the past presidents, and of which the Sr. Past President chairs, to review the
nominations.
3. After collecting all the nominations and the required information, the committee decides by a
consensus vote whom the awardees will be (the members of the awards committee cannot receive an
award). The Editors in Chief of the SMC Transactions are consulted in regards to the Best Associate
Editor Award and the Andrew Sage Award as each EIC nominates the best AE and the best paper
from their respective journals for the this award, and the awards committee then considers their
recommendations in making the committee’s final decision. (Nominations for these two awards can
also come from others). The General Chair of the SMC annual conference during the past year is
consulted in regards to the Franklin Taylor Award and the awards committee considers their
recommendation in making the committee’s final decision. The Vice President of Technical Activities
forwards his or her recommendations and reasons as to the most active Technical Committees for the
consideration of the awards committee for the Best Active SMC Technical Committee award.
Anyone who nominates a candidate needs to provide the following information to the Sr. Past
President in his capacity as Chair of the Awards Committee. Nomination endorsements from other
leaders in the field are also encouraged. All material should be sent to the Sr. Past President in the
same correspondence.
1. Field of Interest: (of the Candidate)

2. Nominator: (Name, Title, e-mail address, mailing address)
3. Nominee: (Name, e-mail, address)
4. Proposed Citation:
Provide a brief statement, not exceeding 50 words, giving the major accomplishments for which the
award is being made. This will be used if the nominee is selected as the awardee.
5. Basis for Nomination:
Prepare a statement not exceeding 500 words on why the candidate is being nominated for the award.
This statement should then be followed by the record of accomplishments of the candidate as an
educator, and/or as a researcher, and/or as an administrator, and/or as an industrial leader, and/or as an
IEEE or SMC volunteer, as appropriate. As the Joseph G.Wohl Award and the Norbert Wiener
Award are SMC’s two major awards, the statement provided shall be as detailed and specific as
possible to support the nomination so that the awards committee can make an appropriate decision.
Also, the Joseph G.Wohl Award is usually given for career service to the systems community, the
IEEE, and/or the SMC Society. Any nomination for this award shall indicate such service by the
candidate. Also, any nomination for the Norbert Wiener Award should demonstrate significant
technical contributions at least 10 years prior to the award date. Finally, Outstanding Contributions
Awards are usually given to exceptional SMC volunteers who have made outstanding contributions to
the SMC Society
6. References:
For the Joseph G.Wohl Award and the Norbert Wiener Award, no more than three brief supporting
letters from colleagues should be included with each award nomination. For the Outstanding
Contributions Awards, at least one supporting letter by an officer of the SMC Society is required.
List the names of the references and supporting letter on the nomination form. All reference and
supporting letters must be received by the due date of the nominations, May 31 st each year. References
in the form of an email message or an attached e-mail document are preferred.
Please email all documents to:
Michael H. Smith
SMC Sr. Past President
Chair, SMC Nomination Committee
m.h.smith@ieee.org