The initial and primary purpose of SEAC was to select the annual recipients of the Charles N. Reilley Award in Electroanalytical Chemistry.

The first award went to Allen J. Bard from University of Texas at Austin and was presented from University of Texas at Austin and was presented on Monday, March 5, 1984 in Atlantic City, New Jersey at the 1984 Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy in the “Symposium on New Techniques in Electroanalytical Chemistry”.

The award is given annually at Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy to recognize the awardee's significant contributions to electrochemistry.

[9][10][11][12] The Royce W. Murray Young Investigator Award, named for electrochemist Royce W. Murray, is given annually at Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy to untenured professors who obtained their Ph.D. or other terminal degree within the last ten years prior to nomination.

The presentation should be on a topic related to their dissertation or thesis, and in some area or application of electroanalytical chemistry.