2021 AISES Professional Awards

The American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) is excited to announce that nominations are now being accepted for the 2021 AISES Professional Awards. The AISES Professional Awards were established to recognize outstanding Indigenous professionals in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics related disciplines while assisting with the advancement of Indigenous professionals, role models, and future leaders. AISES is seeking nominations for the following categories:

Executive Excellence

This award acknowledges an Indigenous professional serving as an executive leader within their organization. The nominee must be an experienced upper-level manager or a well-established engineer, scientist, professional, or academician who has significant department and budget responsibilities.

Executive Excellence nominees will be evaluated on the following criteria:

• Uniqueness of his/her obtained goal Level of responsibilities
• Degree of discipline for level of performance
• Ability to overcome obstacles facing minorities in their field
• Potential as a role mode Demonstrated involvement with Indigenous community

Technical Excellence

The Technical Excellence award is designated for an individual who has made a significant contribution to science, engineering or technology by having designed, developed, managed or assisted in the development of a product, service, system or intellectual property.

Technical Excellence nominees will be evaluated on the following criteria:

• Uniqueness of his/her researchDegree of impact work has on humankind
• Patents or published works Potential as a role model Demonstrated involvement with Indigenous community

Most Promising Engineer or Scientist

To acknowledge an early career professional, AISES established the Most Promising Engineer or Scientist award. The nominees must be a professional engineer or scientist with less than five years’ experience after earning their last degree. The candidates early technical contributions should already indicate a promising career.

Most Promising Engineer or Scientist nominees will be evaluated on the following criteria:

• Uniqueness and or innovation of contributions to organization
• Leadership abilities and/or initiative
• Professional and technical achievement to date
• Potential for advancement
• Demonstrated involvement with Indigenous community

Indigenous Excellence Award

The Indigenous Excellence award is to acknowledge individuals who have done substantial work to advance programs and opportunities for Indigenous students and professionals in STEM education and careers. Professionals with 10 or more years of experience working within their respective tribal/Indigenous community will be considered. The nominee may or may not have a technical background.

The nominee will be evaluated on the following criteria:

• Service as a role model or mentor for Indigenous youth and adults
• Demonstration of leadership within their tribal/Indigenous community
• Effecting positive change within their tribal/Indigenous community
• Advocacy and achievement in promoting Indigenous people in STEM education and/or careers

Deadline

Nominations should be submitted through the online application platform by May 21, 2021 at 11:59 pm MDT. Incomplete nomination packets will not be accepted.

Notifications

Notifications will be made to nominators by mid-July 2021. Award winners will also be contacted by AISES Headquarters. All recipients will be honored at the 2021 AISES National Conference held September 23-25 in Phoenix, AZ.

To view previous awardees visit: http://www.aises.org/programs/professional

For any questions, please contact Kellie Jewett-Fernandez at kjfernandez@aises.org or 720-552-6123.

For nominations, please click here.