The AOCS Award of Merit recognizes an AOCS Member who has displayed leadership in administrative activities, meritorious service on AOCS committees or performed an outstanding activity or service.
What does the recipient receive?
- Plaque
- Recognition during the Welcome Ceremony at the AOCS Annual Meeting
Who is eligible?
- Current AOCS members that have:
- actively demonstrated outstanding leadership and service to the Society through committee participation
- contributed exceptional quality of service that has advanced the Society’s prestige, standing or interest
- Current Governing Board members, past presidents and honorary members of the Society are not eligible
How do I nominate someone?
Login to the Awards Portal to submit the following nomination materials and answer two questions about the nominee.
- Letter of nomination describing the candidate’s contributions and service to the Society
- At least three letters of support from individuals familiar with the candidate’s accomplishment or service to the Society
- Curriculum Vitae which includes a full list of publications and patents
Most Recent Recipient
2026 recipients:
Lingyun Chen, University of Alberta
Lingyun Chen, PhD, is a Full Professor in the Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science at the University of Alberta. She joined the University of Alberta in 2007 after completing her postdoctoral research at the Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods, Université Laval. Dr. Chen has over 20 years of experience in studying plant protein structure–function relationships, with particular focus on how protein aggregate micro- and nanostructures influence texture, sensory attributes, and nutritional quality of food systems, as well as how tailored protein interactions can be leveraged to design nutraceutical delivery systems.
Moghis U. Ahmad, Jina Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Illinois, USA
Moghis U. Ahmad is a distinguished synthetic lipid chemist and a long-standing member of the American Oil Chemists’ Society (AOCS) since 1979. He is internationally recognized for his expertise in lipid chemistry and new product development, with more than 45 years of research experience across academia and industry. Early in his career, his work centered on the discovery of novel industrial oils; the chemical and enzymatic synthesis of lipid products; the synthesis of dietary cis and trans fatty acids; and the development and scale-up of processes to multi-gram quantities to enable the study of dietary effects of individual cis and trans fatty acids.