The Waterborne Symposium recognized outstanding research and technical contributions to coatings science during its annual Paper Awards ceremony, held Friday, February 13, 2026, at the Waterborne Symposium in New Orleans.

The Paper Awards honor exceptional research and innovation across paint, coatings, polymers, inks and adhesives. Open to both students and industry professionals, the awards recognize originality, technical quality and relevance to the coatings industry, highlighting work that advances both scientific understanding and practical application.

PCI Award for Technical Excellence

Kristin Johansson, Jim Reader. Credit: Kristin Johansson

The PCI Award for Technical Excellence, sponsored by Paint & Coatings Industry Magazine, was awarded to Jim Reader of Evonik Corporation for the paper “The Use of Superspreading Surfactants in Waterborne Coatings.” The work was recognized for its technical rigor and contribution to advancing formulation understanding in waterborne systems. Coauthors include Sarah Vezzetti, Sarah Hancock and Cambry Galler, also of Evonik. Kristin Johansson, Associate Publisher and Global Sales Lead from PCI Magazine presented the award. 

Siltech Best Paper Award for Innovation

Siltech Best Paper Award for Innovation. Credit: Kristin Johansson

The Siltech Best Paper Award for Innovation was presented to Dan Mania of Wacker Chemical Corporation for his paper titled “Silane-Modified Polymers for Roof Coatings.” The award recognizes innovative research demonstrating meaningful technical advancement and potential industry impact. In Mania's absence, colleague Hannah Daniels accepted the award on his behalf from Robson Storey (USM), alongside Robert Ruckle and Steve Wilkowski from Siltech Corporation.

By celebrating groundbreaking work, the Paper Awards encourage continued research excellence and inspire innovation across the coatings community.