Nominating a colleague for a Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) award can be a meaningful and rewarding experience. In my JPT article, “Finding Purpose: Form an SPE Awards Nominations Posse” (August 2024), I shared personal reflections on the value of this process. One key insight: by assembling a group acting together for a shared purpose, or a “posse,” we can work together to be the change we want to see.
In this article, I would like to expand on the best practices we have developed in gathering letters of support for an SPE awards nomination.
A well-prepared nomination requires both thoughtful planning and sufficient lead time. One of the most critical components of a successful nomination is the set of supporting letters. These letters help illustrate how the nominee meets the specific criteria for the award and offer a well-rounded perspective on their professional contributions. It is important to start the process in the fall so that the writers of the supporting letters have sufficient time.
SPE Awards Nomination Timeline (2025/2026)
- September 2025 | Nominations Open (International and Regional)
- 15 February 2026 | International Nominations Close
- 25 February 2026 | CV/LinkedIn Profile and Letters Due (International)
- 1 March 2026 | Regional Nominations Close
- 10 March 2026 | CV/LinkedIn Profile and Letters Due (Regional)
As the nominator, you or the nominee can reach out to potential letter writers to confirm their willingness to participate. Be prepared for some of the potential letter writers to decline the invitation to write a letter due to conflicts of interest—such as serving on the selection committee for the same award or supporting another nominee for the same award. For this reason, it’s advisable to identify a list of backup letter writers in advance.
For SPE awards nominations, a minimum of one letter of support is required. The SPE awards nomination process allows for a maximum of six letters of support, and we strongly recommend requesting the full allotment of six letters, even for regional awards. If the nominee is selected for a regional award and is later considered for the same award at the international level, having a robust, well-supported regional nomination package will make the nomination competitive at the international level for the next awards cycle.
Selecting Effective Letter Writers
The most impactful letters come from individuals who know the nominee well and can speak directly about their qualifications. Look for letter writers from a wide range of employers, rather than from a single company or organization.
Ideal letter writers include
- Current or former colleagues.
- Coauthors of technical papers.
- Collaborators on SPE or industry committees.
- Partners in technical committees.
- Professionals from different companies and organizations.
- Previous recipients of the award.
In the case of nominees with long careers, consider including letter writers who have worked with the nominee across different periods in their career. The goal is to present a diverse set of perspectives that, together, create a compelling narrative aligned with the award’s purpose.
As a nominator, provide each letter writer with the specific award criteria. This allows them to tailor their letter, clearly connecting the nominee’s accomplishments to the attributes recognized by the award. You may also share the nominee’s resume with the letter writer, but make it clear that there is no need to repeat elements of the resume in their recommendation letter, since the resume will be provided to the awards selection committee for their review.
As the nominator, you will request the letter of support by entering their full name and email address of the letter writer in the SPE Nomination Portal, so it’s important to confirm which email address they prefer to use. They may need to check their spam folder for the email with the link to upload their letter.
Writing a Letter of Support
If you are invited to write a letter of support, include the following elements:
- Your relationship with the nominee and how long you’ve known them
- Your qualifications to assess their achievements in the context of the award
- Specific examples that demonstrate how the nominee meets or exceeds the award criteria
These details strengthen the credibility of your endorsement and help reviewers understand the significance of the nominee’s contributions.
Final Thoughts
Assembling a strong nomination is a collaborative process. With careful planning, clear communication, and a dedicated group of supporters, you can create a nomination package that honors your colleague’s achievements and positions them for meaningful recognition by SPE.
The impact of an SPE award extends beyond the individual; it uplifts the community and inspires future contributions to our profession and to the Society.
