In celebration of standards and their role in enabling a more electrified, connected, and technologically complex future, SES – The Society for Standardization Professionals and the U.S. Celebration of World Standards Day Planning Committee have launched a paper competition for individuals in the U.S. standards and conformity assessment community. The winner will be recognized at the U.S. Celebration of World Standards Day, to be held on December 8, at the Top of the Hill Conference Center in Washington, DC.
Authors may write about the 2026 World Standards Day theme, “An Electrifying Future Powered by Standards,” or explore any standards-related topic. Suggested areas include:
Topics may be domestic or international in scope. The competition is open to any individual in the private sector, government, or academia, and employees of standards developing organizations. Entrants must reside in the U.S. If employed, they must be employed by a U.S.-based organization.
A cash prize of $1,500 will be awarded by SES and the U.S. Celebration of World Standards Day Planning Committee for the best paper submitted. In addition, the winning paper will be published on the SES website. All paper contest submissions must be received by 11:59 p.m. PT on September 30, 2026.
For the complete rules and tips for writing papers, and to submit a paper competition entry, visit the SES website.
About the 2026 Theme "An Electrifying Future Powered by Standards"
The U.S. Celebration of World Standards Day highlights the critical role that voluntary consensus standards play in advancing innovation, safety, and economic growth across all sectors of the economy. As society moves toward a more electrified, connected, and technologically complex future, standards provide the shared foundation that enables interoperability, reliability, and trust. Across industries and disciplines, these standards help support long-term resilience, protect public health and safety, and fortify cybersecurity and data privacy—turning ideas into scalable, real-world solutions that deliver broad public benefit.
About World Standards Day
World Standards Day (WSD) was initially launched in 1970, and is now recognized and celebrated by nations around the globe. U.S. activities are organized annually by a planning committee consisting of representatives from the standards and conformity assessment community. The U.S. Celebration of WSD planning committee is co-chaired by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). NEMA is the 2026 administrating organization of the U.S. Celebration of World Standards Day.
About SES
SES – The Society for Standardization Professionals is a global organization dedicated to furthering the knowledge and use of standards and standardization. SES creates a place and space for all professionals involved in the standardization community to come together to address mutual issues, opportunities, and interests in ways that work to the benefit of everyone involved with, or affected by, standards.
