International Society for Optics and Photonics (SPIE) Society Awards

Eligibility

Both self-nominations, and nominations by others are accepted. 

Go to SPIE Awards for additional information.

*Early Career Achievement Awards: contribution(s) must have been made within the first 5 years of a faculty appointment after completing training.

Summary

Honoring transformative advancements in a variety of professional areas — including medicine, astronomy, lithography, optical metrology, optical design, and community leadership — the Society's awards recognize technical accomplishments as well as committed service to SPIE and support of its organizational mission. This year's 21 award recipients represent an exciting range of stellar achievements across light-based sciences and technologies.

Nominations are due July 1, 2025. 

Gold Medal: Outstanding engineering or scientific accomplishments in optics, photonics, electro-optics, or imaging technologies or applications / highest honor of the Society

A.E. Conrady Award in Optical Engineering: Exceptional contributions in design, construction, testing, and theory of optical and illumination systems

Aden & Marjorie Meinel Technology Achievement Award: Outstanding technical accomplishment in optics, electro-optics, photonic engineering, or imaging

Biophotonics Technology Innovator Award: Extraordinary achievements in biophotonics technology development

Britton Chance Biomedical Award: Outstanding lifetime contributions to the field of biomedical optics

Chandra S. Vikram Award in Optical Metrology: Exceptional contribution to the field of optical metrology

Dennis Gabor Award in Diffractive Optics: Outstanding accomplishments in diffractive wavefront technologies

Diversity Outreach Award: Outstanding contributions to promoting diversity in optics and photonics education, technologies, or applications

Early Career Achievement Award - Academic: Significant and innovative technical contributions in the engineering or scientific fields of relevance to SPIE in first five years of career

Early Career Achievement Award - Government/Industry: Significant and innovative technical contributions in the engineering or scientific fields of relevance to SPIE in first five years of career

Frits Zernike Award for Microlithography: Outstanding accomplishments in microlithographic technology

George W. Goddard Award in Space and Airborne Optics: Exceptional achievement in optical or photonic technology or instrumentation for earth or planetary or astronomical science, reconnaissance, or surveillance

G.G. Stokes Award in Optical Polarization: Exceptional contribution to the field of optical polarization

Harold E. Edgerton Award in High-Speed Optics: Outstanding contributions to optical or photonic techniques in the application and understanding of high speed phenomena

Harrison H. Barrett Award for Medical Imaging: Outstanding accomplishments in medical imaging

Maria Goeppert-Mayer Award in Photonics: Outstanding contributions to the field of photonics and the development of innovative, high impact technologies

Maria J. Yzuel Educator Award: Outstanding contributions to optics education by an SPIE instructor or an educator in the field

Maiman Laser Award: Sustained contributions to laser source science and technology at the highest levels

Mozi Award: Outstanding discoveries, scientific and technical achievements, or inventions in the field of optics

Rudolf and Hilda Kingslake Award in Optical Design: Significant achievement in the field of optical design

Application deadlines

Program application deadline

Nominations are due 1 July 2025 and must include:

• Citation: a brief and specific statement; the basis for the award nomination
• Narrative: no more than one page

• Related accomplishments:
  • Technical accomplishments (outstanding technical accomplishments in an educational, research, design, engineering, manufacturing, testing, or other capacity)
  • Service to the community
  • Impact to SPIE
  • Other efforts related to the citation
• Letters of reference: a minimum of two (2) and a maximum of five (5) letters of reference from other than the nominator
  • Diversity of support is preferred. Not all letters of recommendation should come from the nominee's organization. Letters must be received within two weeks of the nomination deadline.
• Curriculum vitae: should not exceed 20 pages

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