Faculty Prizes and Awards: Nominations Sent Directly to Agency
The programs listed here provide awards and prizes to individuals in recognition of achievement. Programs are listed by approximate nomination deadline. Nominations for these programs are not submitted through the Sponsored Projects Office; this page is provided as a courtesy to the Academic Senate Faculty Awards Committee. To search for other prize and award programs, see the Pivot funding opportunities database.
Prizes and Awards
| Prize | Agency Deadline | Research Areas | Program Synopsis | Funding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volvo Environment Prize | early January | environmental fields | Awarded for “Outstanding innovations or scientific discoveries which in broad terms fall within the environmental field.” | 1.5 million SEK |
| Grand Hamdan International Award | January | varies | Awards quality but also dedication to the alleviation of the sufferings of humanity through research and exemplary service. The major deciding factor will be a research breakthrough in the subject selected for the award, having the potential to have a major impact on healthcare delivery. | 250,000 AED |
| Jefferson Lecture in the Humanities | January | humanities | The highest honor the federal government confers for distinguished intellectual achievement in the humanities. | $10,000 honorarium and lecture |
| Robert Welch Award in Chemistry | end of January | chemistry | Any person who has made important chemical research contributions that have had a significant, positive influence on humankind can be considered for the award. The award is intended to recognize contributions that have not been rewarded in a similar manner. | $300,000 |
| King Baudouin African Development Prize | February every other year (may vary) | varied | The Prize rewards outstanding contributions to development in Africa, initiated and led by Africans. | 200,000 Euros |
| National Medal of Arts | February | arts | The highest award given to artists and arts patrons by the United States Government. | medal |
| Harvey Prize | February | science and technology, human health, peace in the Middle East | Awarded annually in a variety of disciplines within the categories of science and technology and human health. The Prize has also been awarded for contribution to peace in the Middle East. | $75,000 |
| Balzan Prize | March 15 | literature, moral sciences and the arts; physical, mathematical and natural sciences and medicine | The four Balzan Prizes, two per category, are awarded to scholars, artists and scientists who have distinguished themselves in their fields on an international level. The subject areas in which the awards are granted are rotated. | four prizes of 750,000 Swiss francs |
| National Medal of Science | March | chemical, physical, biological, social or behavioral sciences, mathematics, or engineering | The Nation’s highest honor for American scientists and engineers presented annually by the President of the United States. | medal |
| Thomas Ehrlich Civically Engaged Faculty Award | March or April | all disciplines | Recognizes one senior faculty member for exemplary engaged scholarship, including leadership in advancing students’ civic learning, conducting community-based research, fostering reciprocal community partnerships, building institutional commitments to service-learning and civic engagement, and other means of enhancing higher education’s contributions to the public good. | $2,000 |
| Charles Stark Draper Prize | April 1 | engineering and technology | The Prize honors an engineer whose accomplishment has significantly impacted society by improving the quality of life, providing the ability to live freely and comfortably, and/or permitting the access to information. | $500,000 |
| Materials Research Society Von Hippel Award | April 1 | materials research | Recognizes those qualities most prized by materials scientists and engineers — brilliance and originality of intellect, combined with vision that transcends the boundaries of conventional scientific disciplines. | $10,000, honorary membership, and trophy |
| Enrico Fermi Award | April (may vary) | energy science and technology | Bestowed by the President of the United States to an individual or individuals of international stature in recognition of exceptional scientific, technical, engineering, and/or management achievements related to the broad missions of DOE and its programs. | $100,000 honorarium, medal, citation |
| World Food Prize | May 1 | any field involved in the world food supply | The foremost international award recognizing the achievements of individuals who have advanced human development by improving the quality, quantity or availability of food in the world. | $250,000 |
| National Medal of Technology and Innovation | June | technological achievement | The nation’s highest honor for technological achievement, bestowed by the President of the United States on America’s leading innovators. The medal is awarded annually to individuals, teams, companies or divisions of companies for their outstanding contributions to America’s economic, environmental and social well-being.. | medal |
| National Humanities Medal | June (may vary) | humanities | The National Humanities Medal honors individuals or groups whose work has deepened the nation’s understanding of the humanities and broadened our citizens’ engagement with history, literature, languages, philosophy, and other humanities subjects. | medal |
| Ernest Orlando Lawrence Award | June (may vary) | science and engineering | Bestowed by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy to mid-career scientists and engineers in recognition of exceptional scientific, technical, and/or engineering achievements related to the broad missions of DOE and its programs. | citation, medal, $20,000 honorarium |
| Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement | July | environmental science, health and energy | The Prize is awarded for environmental science, health and energy conferring great benefit upon humanity | $200,000 and gold medallion |
| Millennium Technology Prize | October every second year | all fields of technology | Awarded for groundbreaking technological innovations that benefit millions of people around the world | one-million-euro prize |
| Wolf Prizes to Promote Science and Art for the Benefit of Mankind | August 31 | agriculture, chemistry, mathematics, medicine, physics; architecture, music, painting, sculpture | Since 1978, five or six prizes have been awarded annually in the Sciences. In the Arts, the prize rotates annually among the four fields. | $100,000 and certificate in each field |
| National Science Board Vannevar Bush Award | October | science and technology | Honors truly exceptional lifelong leaders in science and technology who have made substantial contributions to the welfare of the Nation through public service activities in science, technology, and public policy. | medal |
| NSF Alan T. Waterman Award | late October | any field of science or engineering supported by NSF | A candidate should have demonstrated exceptional individual achievement in scientific or engineering research of sufficient quality, originality, innovation, and significant impact on the field so as to situate him or her as a leader among peers. Candidates must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, 35 years of age or younger, or not more than seven years beyond receipt of their Ph.D. degree by December 31 of the year in which they are nominated. | $1,000,000 over a five year period and medal |
| Robert Foster Cherry Award for Great Teaching | November 1 biennially | teaching | Designed to honor great teachers, to stimulate discussion in the academy about the value of teaching, and to encourage departments and institutions to value their own great teachers. | $265,000, travel and lodging, and $35,000 for home department for winner; $15,000 and $10,000 for home department for 2 other finalists |
| Dan David Prize | November 1 | historical disciplines | The Dan David Prize awards to outstanding early-and-mid-career scholars and practitioners in the historical disciplines. The Prize is given in recognition of the winner’s achievements as well as their potential for future excellence. | up to nine prizes of $300,000 each year |
| Leonardo da Vinci World Award of Arts | November | arts | Conferred upon a renowned artist, sculptor, writer, poet, cinematographer, photographer, architect, musician or other performing artist, whose work constitutes a significant contribution to the artistic legacy of the world. | diploma, commemorative medal, and $10,000 |
| José Vasconcelos World Award of Education | December | education | Granted to renowned educator, an authority in the field of teaching, or to a legislator of education policies who has had a significant influence on the advancement in the scope of culture for mankind. | diploma, commemorative medal, and $10,000 |
| Albert Einstein World Award of Science | November | scientific and technological R&D | Created as a means of recognition and encouragement for scientific and technological research and development. It takes into special consideration research which has brought true benefit and wellbeing to mankind. | diploma, commemorative medal, and $10,000 |
| Berthold Leibinger Innovationspreis | December 31 every two years | laser technology | Honors scientists and developers who make advancements in the field of laser technology. The award is made every two years for excellent research and development work on the application or generation of laser light. | three prizes: 30,000 20,000, and 10,000 Euros |