Program description and nomination procedure
To submit a nomination, please fill the Nomination Form (.docx, .pdf, .rtf) and submit it via email (to J. Rossignac and P. Brunet) by November 30.
In 2015, the Solid Modeling Association (SMA) has introduced the title of Solid Modeling Pioneer to honor early contributors who have been influential in starting and expanding the field of Solid Modeling or its applications in Academia or Industry. To qualify, one must have made some contribution to the field (defined broadly) at least 25 years prior to the nomination AND must have made a significant impact on the field (not necessarily building on that early contribution). Examples of impact include: designing and leading the development of a solid modeling system that has been used extensively in Industry or Academia, inventing and disseminating ground-breaking theoretical formulations or novel algorithms that have influenced--or been used by--a broad set of solid modeling products or research projects, being the primary author of a manuscript devoted to Solid Modeling that has been widely used (for example in academia), playing a key role in the industrial development and deployment of Solid Modeling technologies or their adoptions by the industry, providing sustained and successful service in developing conferences and publication venues in the field, and leading a significant and prolific organization in Academia or Industry that is focused on Solid Modeling technologies or applications.
The title of Solid Modeling Pioneer complements the Pierre Bezier Award. The Bezier Award is highly competitive (only one person or team receives the award every year) and is focused on recognizing each year the most outstanding contribution. In contrast, the distinction of Solid Modeling Pioneer is not competitive (i.e., there is no limit on the absolute or relative number of recipients in a given year), but requires having started activities in Solid Modeling at least 25 years ago.
To nominate, or to self-nominate, a candidate for the distinction of Solid Modeling Pioneer of the SMA, please fill in the nomination form and email it to both the current Chair of the SMA and the current Chair of the SMA Solid Modeling Pioneer Award Committee by the disseminated deadline. The form requires a suggested text for the announcement (up to 250 words) that outlines the main contribution and its impact, a brief bio (up to 250 words) of the nominee, a reference to a contribution (publication, product, key-note, report, thesis...) that was produced at least 25 years before the nomination date, an explanation (up to 700 words) of the significant impact that the nominee had on the field, a photo of the nominee (if available), and the names of three internationally recognized leaders of the Solid Modeling field who have agreed to endorse this nomination. When emailing the nomination, please cc all endorsers. Posthumous nominations are welcome. Each year, the nomination deadline and the emails of the chair of the SMA Award Committee will be announced via email to SMA members and will be posted on the SMA website.
Each year, the nominees will be selected from all the submitted applications via a vote of the SMA Solid Modeling Pioneer Award Committee. The chair of that committee will be appointed each year by the chair of the SMA. The members of the committee will be appointed jointly by the Chair of the SMA and the Chair of the SMA Award Committee. The details of the nomination and voting process are left to the discretion of the Chair of the Committee. For example, the Committee may be split in two Sub-committees, each one voting on half of the nominations, so as to allow a committee member to serve on one of the sub-committees, while his or her nomination is voted on by the other sub-committee. Each year, the list of people who received the SMA Solid Modeling Pioneer distinction will be announced at the SPM conference and will be posted on the SMA website, along with the suggested text for the announcement, the short bio, and the photo of each Pioneer.