ISA Analysis Division Endows Luft Award

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC -- The ISA Executive Board has established the ISA Analysis Division Luft Award endowed by the Division through a platinum patron sponsorship of the ISA Honors and Awards Program.

The Division allocated $50,000 to create and fund the Luft Award, which focuses on recognizing individuals who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in the process analytical field.

"While professionals involved in analytical technology have no doubt been awarded other Society awards for their contributions, this award will specifically emphasize process analytics, which is a growing non-traditional technology in the field," said Analysis Division Director Michael Chaney in the petition to establish the award.

The Luft Award criteria for selecting individuals to receive the award each year will evaluate contributions based upon the development, application, education, or use of process analytics for commercial or developmental measurements. Typical fields where this technology is deployed include chemical analyzers, physical property analyzers, area gas detection, sample systems, emerging analyzer technology, and data communications.

The award is named after the recognized inventor of the first process analyzer, Dr. Karl F. Luft, on the 75th anniversary year of the technology. The award carries a $1,000 honorarium and plaque, which will be presented at the annual Honors and Awards Gala each October in Houston, Texas. The award is open to any ISA Member in good standing, and the award is administered by a subcommittee of the Honors and Awards committee.

Nominations for the Luft Award, or for any of the annual Honors and Awards Gala awards, are due 10 February 2009. Nomination forms, descriptions of awards, photos from the Honors and Awards Gala, and information about past award winners are available on the ISA Web site.

About ISA
Founded in 1945, the International Society of Automation is a leading, global, nonprofit organization that is setting the standard for automation by helping over 30,000 worldwide members and other professionals solve difficult technical problems, while enhancing their leadership and personal career capabilities. Based in Research Triangle Park, NC, ISA develops standards; certifies industry professionals; provides education and training; publishes books and technical articles; and hosts the largest conference and exhibition for automation professionals in North America. ISA is the founding sponsor of The Automation Federation.