Awards

Our 2026 recipients are:

Emily Reagle, Yale University
Kevaughn Prout, South Dakota State University 

The SIMB Diversity Travel Award has been established to promote diversity and to increase the participation of underrepresented minority groups in the Society for Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology (SIMB) amongst the graduate students making presentations at SIMB meetings. Recipients of this award must be:

• A U.S. citizen or permanent resident
• A female and/or an underrepresented minority (American Indian or Alaska Native, Black or African American, Asian, Hispanic, or Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander)
• A current graduate student or a graduate student at the time the abstract was submitted
• The presenting author of an abstract accepted for presentation (poster or oral session) at the SIMB Annual Meeting.

Each winner receives a certificate, complimentary registration (does not include workshops, outings, or special events), $500 to help cover travel to the meeting, and a one-year student membership in SIMB. The awards will be presented by the President of SIMB at the Annual Meeting Banquet and the winners will be recognized at the Diversity Session. Attendance at the SIMB Annual Meeting is required for receiving this award. Should an awardee be unable to attend the SIMB Annual Meeting, the award will be presented to an alternate previously identified by the committee who also meets the criteria. Award winners are not eligible to apply for this award again.

Our 2026 awardee is

Ramon Gonzalez, MojiaBio

This award recognizes meritorious service to the Society for Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology (SIMB) as exemplified by Charles Porter, co-founder of the SIMB.

The Charles Porter Award is presented each year to the recipient at the Annual Meeting. Nominees for the Charles Porter Award must have held membership in the Society for Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology for at least 10 years and should have an outstanding record of sustained service to the Society for over a period of seven years or more. Such service may include terms served as a SIMB officer, chairperson of various committees, key assignments such as editor-in-chief of SIMB News, the journal, or special publications.

Attendance at the Annual Meeting award session is required to receive the award. The recipient of the Charles Porter Award will receive an appropriately inscribed plaque which will be presented by the SIMB President at the Annual Meeting. The SIMB will reimburse the awardee for travel such as coach airfare, meeting registration, special activities, meals and annual meeting hotel expenses.

Our 2026 awardee is:

Wenjun Zhang, University of California, Berkeley

This award, named for Charles Thom, a pioneer in industrial microbiology and mycology, is to honor researchers for their exceptional merit in industrial microbiology and biotechnology.

The Charles Thom Award is presented each year to the recipient at the Annual Meeting. Nominees for the Charles Thom Award must have made outstanding research contributions in industrial microbiology and/or biotechnology as evidenced by their CV and current list of publications. While activities such as journal editing, organizing and chairing conferences, and serving scientific societies in official capacities may also be considered when judging their contributions towards research, the most important and overriding factor in selecting nominees for this Award is research accomplishments.

Attendance at the Annual Meeting award session is required to receive the award. The award consists of an honorarium of $1000 for the lecture (if provided), a one-year membership in SIMB and an appropriately inscribed plaque, all of which are presented at the Annual Meeting by the SIMB President. The SIMB will reimburse the awardee for travel such as coach airfare, meeting registration, special activities, meals and annual meeting hotel expenses.

Our 2026 awardee is: 

Nandita Kohli, Cargill

Formerly the Young Investigator Award
This award aims to encourage young investigators to continue their research and to recognize and support their efforts at the beginning of their career.

The Early Career Award is presented each year to the recipient at the Annual Meeting. Nominees for the Early Career Award must have received their PhD or the equivalent terminal degree within the past 10 years and be a current member of SIMB. Their degree must be in Microbiology, Biology, Bioengineering, Biochemistry, or a related discipline, employed in academia, government or private industry and they MUST have demonstrated outstanding scientific contributions in the field of biotechnology and or industrial microbiology.

Attendance at the Annual Meeting award session is required to receive the award. The recipient of the Early Career Award will receive an appropriately inscribed plaque which will be presented by the SIMB President at the Annual Meeting. The SIMB will reimburse the awardee for travel such as coach airfare, meeting registration, special activities, meals and annual meeting hotel expenses.

Our 2026 Fellowship Status individuals are:

Michael Resch, National Laboratory of the Rockies

Steve Van Dien, Persephone Biosciences, Inc.

Fellowship status is a special grade of SIMB membership, acknowledging a long career and a sustained record of significant research and/or service contributions to the profession of industrial microbiology and/or biotechnology.

Nomination for Fellowship should include a detailed statement of the basis for nomination. The nominator and one co-sponsor must be members of SIMB. Selection as a Fellow will be based on excellence in microbial research and on contributions made in administrative, academic, industrial, agricultural, governmental, military, or public health positions. The Board of Directors can approve no more than three candidates for Fellowship status in any calendar year.

Individuals granted Fellowship status will receive an appropriately inscribed plaque which will be presented by the SIMB President at the Annual Meeting. The fellows will receive complimentary registration for the Annual Meeting if they chose to attend.

Our 2026 awardee is:

Mark Blenner, University of Delaware 

Noble Laureate Dr. Selman Waksman was an outstanding teacher of microbiology at Rutgers University, who maintained very cordial and effective relations with industry throughout his career as an academic scientist. This award is made in recognition of the important role that educators play in sustaining the fields of industrial microbiology and biotechnology. The awardee will be asked to write a review article on teaching experiences for publication in the SIMB News.

The Waksman Outstanding Teaching Award is presented to a recipient every year at the SIMB annual meeting. The nominee must be an active, full time professor at a recognized institution of higher education for a minimum of 10 years or attainment of emeritus status. They must be actively involved in research in their respective teaching field while carrying a teaching load. The nominee should be involved in or have made contributions to research that lead to advances in their area of industrial or applied microbiology or biotechnology.

The recipient of the Waksman Outstanding Teaching Award will receive $2,000 to reimburse the awardee for travel such as coach airfare, meeting registration, special activities, meals and annual meeting hotel expenses as well as an appropriately inscribed plaque which will be presented by the SIMB President at the Annual Meeting.