Hazardous Materials Instructor of the Year Award and Scholarship

About the Award

The Hazardous Materials Instructor of the Year award recognizes a hazmat trainer that shows exemplary teaching capabilities or dedication such as their ability to motivate students, deliver engaging HazMat/CBRN presentations, utilize innovative teaching techniques or props, challenge students, or help students both in and out of the classroom. 

About the Scholarship

To support knowledge sharing, networking with peers, and expanding education opportunities for HazMat instructors, CHEMTREC® is sponsoring a scholarship for the “Hazardous Materials Instructor of the Year” to attend the 2026 Hazardous Materials Instructors and Commanders (HMIC) Conference hosted by Hazard3 and Safeware in Savannah, GA from November 9-11, 2026.

The scholarship will include:

• Complementary conference registration
• Three nights of hotel accommodations provided
• Airfare to the conference provided
• Per diem for meals (Note: some meals are already provided via the conference)

*Total scholarship assistance not to exceed $3,000.

About the Conference

The Hazardous Materials Instructors and Commanders Conference (HMIC) provides HazMat/CBRN management level professional development and networking for command and training staff. Conference attendees can attend workshops in three tracks:

• Instructor development
• Command and program management
• Emerging hazards and technology 

The Hazmat Instructor of the Year will be recognized at the General Session on Tuesday, November 10th.

Criteria

To be eligible to apply for the CHEMTREC scholarship, individuals must meet the following criteria:

• Must be a HazMat Instructor.
• Must be a member of a hazmat team within a local or state public safety or emergency management agency located in the United States and be legally organized under state law.
• Demonstrate in the application essay their successes as a hazmat instructor, and the impacts they have made on other responders or within their department as an instructor, and how attending the HMIC Conference will benefit you and your hazmat team.
• Only one application will be accepted per person. Self-nominations are accepted.
• The recipient that receives the award must use the money to attend. The scholarship cannot be redistributed or transferred.
• The recipient agrees that their name, department name, details from their application essay, and all photos taken during the leadership breakfast presentation may be used in media by CHEMTREC, Safeware, and Hazard3 for the purposes of promoting the scholarship program.

Selection Process

The 2026 application period will be open from Fri, June 5 until Fri, September 4.