Washington Academy of Sciences
Awards for Scientific Achievement
Award certificates are presented by a colleague at our Annual Awards Banquet, which is a formal affair with a gourmet dinner in the Washington, DC area. Please see our upcoming events list for details.
Nominees and nominators do not need to be members of the Academy or its Affiliates. Nominees from outside the greater Washington D.C. area are allowed, but awardees must attend our Annual Meeting and Awards Banquet in person.
The Awards Program, begun in 1940, is literally a catalog of a “golden age” of scientific achievement and leadership. While we have honored these scientists over the decades, we equally have been honored by our association with them.
Nominations for Awards
Nominations may be submitted any time. The deadline for annual submissions is shown in Upcoming Events (right side of a page). We consider nominations submitted in any scientific or engineering discipline, including earth sciences, biological sciences, engineering, mathematics and computer science, physical sciences, behavioral and social sciences, and health sciences. Awards are offered in the following categories:
Early Career Award
To recognize a promising investigator within five years of graduation who is making notable contributions in any scientific or engineering discipline.
Distinguished Career Award
To recognize a person who has had a significant impact on any scientific or engineering discipline. This is a lifetime achievement award.
Excellence in Research Award
To recognize a person for outstanding research contributions in any scientific or engineering discipline.
Student Achievement Award
To recognize a promising student who is making outstanding contributions to progress in science or engineering.
Leadership Award
To recognize an individual in the government or industry for outstanding leadership in advancing science or engineering.
Teaching Awards
To recognize people for their excellence in teaching. There are three types of teaching awards: 1) Krupsaw Award for Non-Traditional Teaching; 2) Lamberton Award for Teaching of Science in High School; 3) Leo Schubert Award for Teaching of Science in College.
What to Submit
The nomination package should contain the following:
• Cover letter from the nominator which clearly states the award category and/or specific discipline (e.g. Distinguished Career Award in Science or Excellence in Research Award in Mathematics and Computer Science or the appropriate teaching award). The cover letter should also state how the nominator knows the nominee.
• Nominee’s latest curriculum vitae, which should include home and business contact information (address, e-mail, telephone numbers).
• A statement (not exceeding 750 words) on the nominee’s contributions and impact.
• At least one and no more than five recommendation letters from individuals who can assess the nominee’s contributions and impacts.
• Citation: State briefly the nominee’s principal scientific contributions (should not exceed 25 words).
Where to Submit
All nominations should be submitted to the Vice President for Membership Affairs via email to
. If it is not practical to send the nomination through email then the nomination should be mailed to the Awards Committee, Washington Academy of Sciences, Suite 455, 1200 New York Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005.