Corning Outstanding Student Paper Competition

The Corning Outstanding Student Paper Competition recognizes innovation, research excellence, and presentation abilities in optical communications. The competition is endowed by a grant from Corning Inc. and administered by the OSA Foundation. To be eligible for consideration students must submit a paper to OFC/NFOEC and opt-in to the competition during the submissions process.

Criteria for Eligibility

All the following criteria must be met:

• Submitting author must opt-in to the competition during the regular submissions process and follow all of the instructions provided on the submission site.
• Presenting author must be an undergraduate or graduate student of an educational institution of collegiate grade who is devoting more than half-time to studies within the institution, at the time the paper was written.
• Student must be listed as the presenting author of the paper.
• Paper must be submitted and accepted during the regular “call for papers” process for OFC/NFOEC (Note: Postdeadline Papers are not part of this competition).
• The paper must be presented orally by the student author during the conference.

Selection Process

• All properly submitted papers are reviewed and scored according to standard OFC/NFOEC Technical Program Committee review criteria.
• Ten–twelve (10–12) papers will be selected as semi-finalists.
• Status notification will be sent via email following the Technical Program Committee’s decision. A separate notification regarding paper acceptance will also be sent.
• Semi-finalists are required to submit a form signed by their advisor acknowledging their contribution to the paper presented. A copy of the form will be sent via email with the status notification.
• The Corning Outstanding Student Paper Competition Committee will select 5–6 finalists from the pool of semi-finalists.
• Finalists are judged on innovation, research excellence and presentation skills. Each finalist will present their paper to the Competition Committee in a private session on Sunday, March 6, 2011. Finalists are required to submit their presentation for the private session no later than Monday, February 28, 2011.
• One first prize winner and two honorable mention winners will be selected. The first prize winner receives $1,500 USD and two honorable mention winners receive $1,000 USD each. Competition results are announced on-site during the Plenary and Awards Session.