AISES is proud to announce that nominations are being accepted for the 2024 AISES Professional Awards.
The AISES Professional Awards were established to provide recognition for outstanding Indigenous professionals in science, engineering and technological related disciplines while assisting with the advancement of Indigenous professionals, role models and future leaders.
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
Award Categories:
- Blazing Flame
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The Blazing Flame Award recognizes an Indigenous professional who promotes STEM education and/or career advancement for Indigenous people within their organization. Nominees should have ten or more years of professional experience and may or may not have a technical background.
Nominees will be evaluated on the following criteria:
• Demonstrated leadership and potential as a role model
• Impact and success in effecting change within their organization
• Advocacy and achievements of promoting Indigenous people in STEM
• Support and/or leadership in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) initiatives within organization - Executive Excellence
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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 academic who has significant department and budget responsibilities.
Nominees will be evaluated on the following criteria:
• Uniqueness of their role, obtained goal, technical work, and other relevant achievements
• Impact in the organization and level of responsibility
• Background and expertise for their level of responsibility and performance
• Challenges and successes to achieve an advanced level of leadership in their field
• Demonstrated involvement with Indigenous communities and what role this plays in their leadership position - Indigenous Excellence
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The Indigenous Excellence award is to acknowledge individuals who have significantly improved the landscape of Indigenous STEM either through advancement and advocacy of Indigenous people in STEM studies and careers or through advancement and advocacy of Indigenous STEM knowledge. Indigenous professionals with 10 or more years of experience with a majority of their work within or on behalf of tribal/Indigenous communities or incorporating Indigenous knowledge will be considered. The nominee may or may not have a technical background.
Nominees will be evaluated on the following criteria:
• Service as a role model for Indigenous youth and adults in STEM
• Demonstrated leadership within their Indigenous organization or community
• Effecting positive change within their Indigenous organization or community
• Advocacy and achievement in promoting Indigenous people in STEM education and/or careers - Most Promising Engineer or Scientist
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To acknowledge an early career professional, AISES established the Most Promising Engineer or Scientist award. The nominees must be a STEM professional with less than five years’ experience after earning their last degree. The candidates’ early technical contributions should already indicate a promising career.
Nominees will be evaluated on the following criteria:
• Unique and/or innovative contribution(s) to their field and/or organization
• Demonstrated leadership and initiative in their role
• Professional and technical achievements to date
• Potential for advancement within their field and/or organization
• Demonstrated involvement with Indigenous communities - Technical Excellence
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The Technical Excellence award is designated for an individual who has made a significant contribution to their STEM field through research, design, development, or strategy.
Nominees will be evaluated on the following criteria:
• Unique and/or innovative contribution(s) to their field through their work
• Impact of the nominee’s work including the degree of impact for their field, community, and/or globally
• Products (i.e. patents, publications, reports, etc.)
• Leadership and potential as a role model
• Demonstrated involvement with Indigenous communities
Based on the overall evaluation of the categories, the most outstanding of all nominees will be selected as the AISES Professional of the Year. From the remaining nominees, an award recipient will be selected for each nomination category.
Application:
Please refer to the award categories to select the award that best suits the candidate.
- Nominee information including demographic, educational, and employment information
- Sponsor contact information
- Biographical Sketch
- Resume/CV
- Organizational Personnel Chart (for Executive Excellence nominees)
- Recent high-resolution photograph/headshot
- Letters of Recommendations (2 total)
- Other Supporting Documents (3 total) may include news clippings, publication summaries, additional letter(s) of recommendation.
Deadline:
Nominations should be submitted through the online application platform by April 30, 2024 at 11:59 pm MDT. Incomplete nomination packets will not be accepted.
Notifications
Notifications will be made to nominators by mid-June, 2024. Award winners will also be contacted by AISES Headquarters. All recipients will be honored at the 2024 AISES National Conference held in San Antonio, TX October 3-5, 2024.