Reap the rewards for your innovative ideas, career achievements and work on the behalf of others. You’ve given manufacturing its own brand of cool through your limitless imagination, creativity and energy. SME has a number of awards and recognitions to honor your efforts and contributions throughout your education and career. How will you be recognized?
SME Awards & Recognition
Awards & Recognition Opportunities

Annual Chapter Recognition
It takes a great deal of effort to make an SME chapter successful. What is the definition of chapter success? While this means different things to different people, we have to look at what SME states about its purpose, which is to advance manufacturing and attract future generations.

College of Fellows
Elected members, who have made outstanding contributions to the social, technological and educational aspects of the profession, can receive this recognition. This is a distinctive and prestigious honor that can only be earned through years (20 or more) of dedication and service. Nominations Due: Dec. 1

Dick Aubin Distinguished Paper Award
The paper selected for the Dick Aubin Distinguished Paper Award, which is awarded by SME's Additive Manufacturing Community and sponsored by the Rochester Institute of Technology, will describe an innovative application of additive manufacturing processes and techniques.

Digital Manufacturing Challenge
This annual competition invites student designers to use their imagination to arrive at an innovative design, which exploits the geometric capabilities of direct digital manufacturing (DDM) to the fullest. Entries are welcome from college/university students and high school students; both categories are judged separately. Winners are recognized at SME's annual RAPID + TCT event.

Excellence in Manufacturing Training Award
The SME Excellence in Manufacturing Training award honors a manufacturer who demonstrates an exceptional commitment and dedication to upskilling the workforce, enhancing talent, and preparing new and incumbent employees for a successful career in the manufacturing industry.

Industry Achievement Award
The Industry Achievement Award was developed to recognize an individual, team or company for outstanding accomplishments that have had significant impact within the additive manufacturing industry or in any industry through the application of additive manufacturing technologies.

RAPID + TCT People’s Choice Award
The People’s Choice Award is determined by popular vote of RAPID + TCT attendees during show days (exhibitors excluded). This award is intended to recognize the winning exhibit for being interactive, technically and aesthetically impressive, and visually appealing and engaging.

SME Journal Awards
New in 2018, the awards recognize outstanding associate editors and high performing reviewers in each of our three Journals. Their critical review and oversight is crucial in further promoting the interdisciplinary formative research that contributes to the progress in manufacturing techniques, models, processes and systems.