ATLANTA – TAPPI and the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) are pleased to announce that U.S. applications are now being accepting for the Blue Sky Young Researchers Innovation Award. This awards program aims to recognize students, young researchers and engineers carrying out projects in a wide range of activities relevant to forest-based science, products using forest-based raw materials, process improvements or other innovations throughout the value chain.

Sponsored by the International Council of Forest & Paper Associations (ICFPA), the Blue Sky Young Researchers Innovation Award program focuses on research and development as well as showcasing significant innovations in science and technology in the forest and paper industry.

The theme of the inaugural awards program is “Game Changing Technologies for the Forest and Paper Industry – Unfolding the Potentials of Forest, Paper and Wood-based Products.” Subcategories include, but are not limited to:

1. Future Generation Forestry: forest tree breeding and biotechnology; precision forestry; measurements and inventory
2. Innovation in the Forest-based Industry: analysis and properties of pulp and paper; facilities, instrument and process control; bioproducts and wood chemistry; recycling, deinking and environment; timber for construction; material substitution with wood.

Winners will have the opportunity to present their projects to a roundtable of global forest and paper industry CEOs in Berlin, Germany in May 2017.

Award Application Requirements:

Applicants should be 30 years old or under. The application package should include the following items:

1. Short CV (one page maximum)
2. Statement of purpose including:
   • 500 words; double spacing; font Calibri 12
   • Objectives
   • Description of project
   • Summary of Methodology
   • Expected results
   • Relevance to forest products industry
   • How it fits with the selected theme
   • What makes it innovative
3. One Letter of Support

The deadline for submitting applications is December 1, 2016. Complete application packets should be emailed to Katie Missimer, [email protected].