Sustainable Materials Management Young Professional Impact Award Submission Criteria

The Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) Young Professional (YP) Impact Award will be awarded to a qualified nominee who has demonstrated leadership by developing, revising, and/or implementing a system, tool, process, project, initiative, or program within the solid waste and resource management industry that has had a positive impact on sustainable materials management.

To be eligible for the SWANA SMM TD YP Impact Award, a candidate must:

• Be a young professional (35 years old or younger) at the beginning of the calendar year of award
• Be a current SWANA member
• Be a member of the SMM Technical Division
• Have been working in the solid waste/resource management industry for one year or more

YP Impact Award applications can be submitted by the Nominee or on behalf of the Nominee.

SMM TD YP Impact Award Application Requirements

• The Nominee’s professional experience
• The Nominee’s SWANA and solid waste industry participation
• Volunteer community activities the nominee is currently engaged in related to the solid waste/resource management industry (including SWANA or local chapters)
• Why the Nominee should be selected for the YP Impact Award
• How the Nominee has demonstrated servant leadership related to the sustainable materials management industry
• To better understand the Nominee’s impact in the industry, an independent letter of recommendation must be submitted. The recommendation must be from someone who can provide specific examples, metrics, or qualitative information to substantiate the applicant’s eligibility. In addition to a narrative explaining the YP’s impact in the field of sustainable materials management, the letter should include a brief explanation of the recommender’s relationship to the Nominee.
  • The letter can include links, media examples, and/or images as supplemental information.
  • The letter must include contact information so the recommender can be contacted by the Awards Committee in the event more information is needed.
• A 500-word narrative describing real-world project(s), program(s), or initiative(s) the Nominee has been involved with, the Nominee’s detailed involvement, and the respective outcomes, including specific details on the location and benefiting stakeholders. The detailed narrative should be supported by concrete evidence and data, illustrating how the solution addressed specific challenges and/or needs and delivered tangible benefits. Links, images, media examples, articles, tables, and graphs are acceptable types of supporting documentation. All data sources must be cited.