2024 Winner Marc Levitan, Long Phan and the Tornado Wind Loads Team Science, Technology and Environment Marc Levitan, Long Phan and the Tornado Wind Loads Team Created the world’s first tornado-resistant building codes, conducting groundbreaking research that will save lives and protect critical facilities like schools, hospitals and emergency centers from extensive property damage.
2024 Winner Yan Ping (Judy) Chen, Jay D. Evans People's Choice Award Yan Ping (Judy) Chen, Jay D. Evans Revolutionized bee disease diagnosis and treatment, introducing cutting-edge technologies to detect virus pathogens and developing novel medicines to enhance bee health and prevent colony collapse.
2024 Finalist Neil Cheatwood, Stephen Hughes Science, Technology and Environment Neil Cheatwood, Stephen Hughes Envisioned and led the development of a new inflatable heat shield for planetary entry, descent and landing that will enable spacecraft to deliver bigger payloads to distant planets, including during a future human mission to Mars.
2024 Finalist Tara McHugh Science, Technology and Environment Tara McHugh Partnered with innovators to develop novel healthy processed food products that have reduced food waste and created jobs in high-unemployment areas, and now leads more than 1,400 employees in eight Western states.
2023 Winner Brian Key, Scott Bellamy and The NASA Double Asteroid Redirection Test Team Science, Technology and Environment Brian Key, Scott Bellamy and The NASA Double Asteroid Redirection Test Team Managed the NASA team that successfully altered the orbit of an asteroid, providing the first-ever planetary defense test that could protect Earth from celestial threats.
2023 Finalist Anne Lord Bailey, Caitlin Rawlins and the VA Immersive Team Science, Technology and Environment Anne Lord Bailey, Caitlin Rawlins and the VA Immersive Team Built a cutting-edge nationwide immersive technology network to empower front-line staff and enable the treatment of veterans for a wide range of medical issues such as anxiety, depression, pain management, spinal cord injuries and more.
2023 Finalist Adam M. Phillippy, Sergey Koren, Arang Rhie and The Telomere-to-Telomere Team Science, Technology and Environment Adam M. Phillippy, Sergey Koren, Arang Rhie and The Telomere-to-Telomere Team Conducted the first complete assembly of the human genome, sequencing the most difficult, final part of our genetic makeup, advancing our understanding of our biological blueprint and opening up scientific frontiers that could revolutionize the treatment of a multitude of diseases.
2023 Finalist Sarah L. Nelson, Samantha L. Calkins and the National Ignition Team Science, Technology and Environment Sarah L. Nelson, Samantha L. Calkins and the National Ignition Team Managed a complex scientific enterprise that for the first time produced a fusion reaction that created a net energy gain, a breakthrough in the decades-long, multibillion-dollar quest that could lead to advancements in national defense and clean energy.
2023 Finalist J. Vincent Edwards Science, Technology and Environment J. Vincent Edwards Developed innovative and highly effective new cotton-based medical gauze and dressings for trauma and chronic wound patients that are now in use by hospitals and first responders.
2021 Winner Reem M. Ghandour, DrPH Science, Technology and Environment Reem M. Ghandour, DrPH Transformed and revitalized a national survey on children’s physical, emotional and developmental health, providing timely and insightful data to state and federal policymakers.
2022 Finalist Nathan R. Newbury, Ian Coddington, Ph.D., Kevin Cossel, Ph.D. and team Science, Technology and Environment Nathan R. Newbury, Ian Coddington, Ph.D., Kevin Cossel, Ph.D. and team Developed a revolutionary system to detect methane gas leaks from oil and gas production facilities as well as identify other pollutants that are major contributors to global warming.
2021 Finalist Jay Barlow, Ph.D. Science, Technology and Environment Jay Barlow, Ph.D. Played an influential national role in monitoring and managing marine mammals by creating new survey methods and technology to protect and save the lives of whales, dolphins and other species.
2021 Finalist Sherry Hunt, Ph.D. and the Hydraulic Engineering Research Unit Science, Technology and Environment Sherry Hunt, Ph.D. and the Hydraulic Engineering Research Unit Pioneered critically needed design techniques to rehabilitate and strengthen thousands of aging dams across the United States, limiting potential failures that could lead to the loss of life and property.
2022 Winner Cynthia A. Newberg Science, Technology and Environment Cynthia A. Newberg Played an instrumental role internationally and in the U.S. to curb the use of hydrofluorocarbons, incredibly potent greenhouse gases that are major contributors to climate change.
2021 Finalist Brigitte C. Widemann, M.D. and team Science, Technology and Environment Brigitte C. Widemann, M.D. and team Developed a breakthrough medical treatment for children with inoperable tumors that cause disabling pain, disfigurement, blindness and motor dysfunction.
2022 Finalist Steven Musser, Ph.D. Science, Technology and Environment Steven Musser, Ph.D. Championed the use of whole genome sequencing and a public database to identify foodborne diseases that sicken millions of people every year, enabling authorities to remove dangerous products more quickly from the marketplace and protect public health.
2022 Finalist Brandon Wales Science, Technology and Environment Brandon Wales Protected government and commercial computer networks from highly sophisticated and damaging cyberattacks, safeguarding the COVID-19 vaccine supply chain and reducing the risks of devastating ransomware attacks.
2021 Finalist David L. Boucher, Ph.D., John Lee, Ph.D., Daniel Wolfe, Ph.D. and the Ebola Medical Countermeasures Task Force Science, Technology and Environment David L. Boucher, Ph.D., John Lee, Ph.D., Daniel Wolfe, Ph.D. and the Ebola Medical Countermeasures Task Force Oversaw the research and development of vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostic tests that have been used to halt the spread of the deadly Ebola virus in Africa and avert the possibility of a pandemic.
2023 Finalist Cheryl T. Seager Science, Technology and Environment Cheryl T. Seager Initiated creative and extraordinarily successful techniques to identify and clamp down on violators of air, hazardous waste and water pollution laws, particularly in communities at risk.
2022 Finalist Joseph Poux Jr. Science, Technology and Environment Joseph Poux Jr. Organized a series of global environmental law enforcement operations targeting marine pollution and hazardous waste dumping that uncovered thousands of violations and led to the prosecution of countless individuals, companies and criminal networks.
2020 Winner Beth Ripley, M.D., Ph.D. Science, Technology and Environment Beth Ripley, M.D., Ph.D. Created an interconnected, hospital-based 3D printing network that is assisting health care providers with medical procedures, reducing unnecessary surgeries and helping improve quality of life for veterans.
2020 Finalist Donna J. Shaver, Ph.D. Science, Technology and Environment Donna J. Shaver, Ph.D. Championed the conservation and recovery efforts for the endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtles, helping save the species from extinction by protecting and preserving the nests at Padre Island National Seashore.
2020 Finalist Nancy J. Sullivan, Ph.D. Science, Technology and Environment Nancy J. Sullivan, Ph.D. Developed a highly effective medication for the deadly Ebola virus now awaiting federal approval, providing the ability to treat patients with this highly contagious disease that has ravaged African countries.
