Faculty Awards

ASME

Mechanics / Applied Mechanics	• Timoshenko Medal — for distinguished contributions to applied mechanics.  • Ted Belytschko Applied Mechanics Award — for individuals with significant contributions in practice, research, design, leadership, or education in engineering mechanics.  • W.T. Koiter Medal  • D.C. Drucker Medal  • Z.P. Bazant Medal
Materials	• Nadai Medal — for significant contributions in materials engineering.  • Adaptive Structures and Material Systems Award — for contributions related to adaptive materials, structures, or material systems. • Sia Nemat-Nasser Award  • MD Mid-Career Award
Heat Transfer	• Heat Transfer Memorial Award — recognizes outstanding contributions through teaching, research, practice, design, leadership, inventions, etc.  • Boelter-McAdams Prize — for mid-career researchers/practitioners making outstanding contributions in heat and/or mass transfer.  • Bergles-Rohsenow Young Investigator Award in Heat Transfer — young investigator showing potential for significant contributions in heat transfer.  • Allan Kraus Thermal Management Medal — for achievements in thermal management in electronic systems or thermal sciences.  • Avram Bar-Cohen Memorial Medal — in parts for heat transfer, photonics, packaging phenomena.  • Max Jakob Memorial Award — joint ASME/AIChE award, distinguished leadership or scholarly achievement in heat transfer.
Aerospace	• Spirit of St. Louis Medal — awarded for meritorious service in the advancement of aeronautics and astronautics.
Manufacturing	• William T. Ennor Manufacturing Technology Award — given for contributions to manufacturing technology with substantial economic or societal impact.  • M. Eugene Merchant Manufacturing Medal (ASME/SME) — recognizing influence and responsibility for improving productivity and efficiency of manufacturing operations.  • DeVor-Kapoor Manufacturing Medal — for contributions in manufacturing division.
Bioengineering	• Edward Grood Interdisciplinary Team Science Medal in Bioengineering — for collaborative team work in bioengineering research.  • Van C. Mow Medal — for significant contributions to bioengineering and the bioengineering community.  • S.Y. Zamrik Pressure Vessels and Piping Award (less directly, but sometimes relevant for bioengineering applications)
Design / Product Design / Mechanical Design	• Leonardo da Vinci Award — for eminent achievement in machine design.  • Machine Design Award — recognizing eminent achievement or distinguished service in machine design via research, teaching, development, etc.  • Barnett-Uzgiris Product Safety Design Award — significant contributions to safe product design.  • Ruth and Joel Spira Outstanding Design Educator Award — for excellence in engineering design education.
General	• Pi Tau Sigma Gold Medal Award  • Gustus L. Larson Memorial Award  • Charles Russ Richards Memorial Award  • Robert Henry Thurston Lecture Award

AIAA

Daniel Guggenheim Medal	For individuals who make notable lifetime achievements in advancing aeronautics.
Goddard Astronautics Award	AIAA’s highest honor in astronautics, recognizing outstanding achievements in this field.
Reed Aeronautics Award	One of the top honors in aeronautical science and engineering.
Engineer of the Year	Awarded to a member for a recent, significant technical contribution.
Lawrence Sperry Award	Recognizes engineering accomplishment of notable merit.

Premier Awards – AIAA’s most prestigious honors, recognizing major contributions or missions in aerospace. 

Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME)

• AM Industry Achievement Award — for outstanding accomplishments impacting the additive manufacturing industry or via AM technologies. 
• AM Production Club — recognizing companies producing a significant number of AM-parts/products in a calendar year. 
• AM Start-Up Technology Award — for new technologies/applications in additive manufacturing with market potential. 
• Aubin AM Case Study Award — for innovative case studies using AM technologies. 
• Award of Merit — for SME members with valued, balanced contributions to SME’s professional growth. 
• Blue Sky Competition & David Dornfeld Manufacturing Vision Award — recognizing vision and leadership in manufacturing. 
• College of Fellows — a distinction for long-standing contributions to the social, technical, and educational aspects of manufacturing. 
• Composite Manufacturing Emerging Innovator Award — for emerging leaders in composites manufacturing. 
• Distinguished Faculty Advisor Award — recognizes faculty advisors who significantly support students & the manufacturing field. 
• Donald C. Burnham Manufacturing Management Award — for exceptional success integrating infrastructure, processes, and resources in manufacturing. 
• Eli Whitney Productivity Award — for notable improvements in productivity and orderly production. 
• Excellence in Composites Manufacturing Awards — for companies contributing to progress in composites manufacturing technology. 
• Jud Hall Composites Manufacturing Award — leadership, technical, patents or education in composites manufacturing or tooling technology. 
• Joseph A. Siegel Service Award — for significant service contributions to SME. 
• M. Eugene Merchant Manufacturing Medal of ASME/SME — for individuals improving productivity/efficiency of manufacturing operations. 
• Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer Award — for innovators age 35 or younger with notable accomplishments (research, patents, leadership). 
• SME Albert M. Sargent Progress Award — recognizes achievements in manufacturing processes, methods or systems. 
• SME Education Award — honors educators for curriculum development, training methods, or inspiring students in manufacturing. 
• SME Frederick W. Taylor Research Medal — for published research that deepens understanding of materials, facilities, principles or operations applied to improve manufacturing processes. 
• SME Gold Medal — for outstanding service to the manufacturing engineering field via technical communications (papers, lectures, writings). 
• Workforce Development Innovation Award — for organizations committed to building/managing/manufacturing workforce skills and preparing workers for in-demand manufacturing jobs. 

American Society of Biomechanics (ASB)

• Borelli Award — The most prestigious ASB honor; recognizes outstanding career accomplishments in any area of biomechanics. 
• Jim Hay Memorial Award — For originality, quality, and depth of biomechanics research addressing extreme demands in sport and exercise. 
• Goel Award for Translational Research in Biomechanics — For work that translates biomechanics research into societal or commercial benefit. 
• Founders’ Award — Recognizes scientific accomplishment plus excellence in mentoring. 
• Jean Landa Pytel Diversity Mentoring Award — Honors long-term impact mentoring, especially of individuals from underrepresented groups, aligning with ASB’s diversity mission. 
• Early Career Achievement Award — For promising scientists within 5 years of receiving their PhD. 
• Pre-Doctoral Award — For student researchers (before the PhD) who have made early notable achievements; includes presentation at the annual meeting. 
• ASB Fellow — Recognition of professional achievement and service among top members of the Society. 

Society of Engineering Science (SES)

• Yonggang Huang Engineering Science Medal — formerly the Engineering Science Medal. Awarded for a singularly important contribution to engineering science. 
• A.C. Eringen Medal — for sustained outstanding achievements in Engineering Science. 
• G. I. Taylor Medal — awarded for outstanding research contributions in fluid mechanics (theoretical or experimental). 
• James R. Rice Medal — for a mid-career researcher who has had a substantial impact in the mechanics of solids. Eligibility typically 10-20 years post-PhD. 
• Emmy Noether Medal — for a mid-career researcher with outstanding contributions in a cross-disciplinary and/or emerging area. Eligibility typically 10-20 years post-PhD. 
• Huajian Gao Young Investigator Medal — (formerly “Young Investigator Medal”) for early-career researchers whose work has already made significant impact in engineering sciences; usually within ~10 years of earning the PhD. 
• William Prager Medal — for outstanding research contributions in solid mechanics, both theoretical or experimental. 
• Fellow of SES — distinction for individuals who are distinguished in fields the Society covers, who have been members for at least 5 years, and whose contributions to the Society and technical community merit the honor. 

The Combustion Institute

Bernard Lewis Gold Medal	Presented biennially to a scientist for brilliant research in the field of combustion.
Research Excellence Award	For CI members with impactful papers (judged by citations, etc.) in combustion science; excludes Fellows, Board members, etc.
Hiroshi Tsuji Early Career Researcher Award	Given annually (co-sponsored by Elsevier) to one or two early-career researchers (within ~4-10 years after PhD) who have made significant advances in fundamental or applied combustion science.
Distinguished Papers	Selected every two years from papers presented at the International Symposium on Combustion—one per colloquium—for outstanding quality, achievement, and significance.

Society for Experimental Mechanics (SEM)

• Honorary Member — for individuals of widely recognized eminence in experimental mechanics.
• SEM Fellow — for distinguished contributions; must have been a Society member for at least 10 consecutive years.
• G. A. Brewer — an award for an outstanding practicing experimentalist.
• G. L. Cloud Scholarship — recognizing graduate students in experimental mechanics.
• J. W. Dally Young Investigator — for a young professional (within 10 years of PhD) who has made significant contributions in education and research.
• D. J. DeMichele — for exemplary service and promotion of modal analysis education and technology.
• D. J. DeMichele Scholarship — for a student presenting a paper at IMAC (International Modal Analysis Conference), to help with travel expenses.
• A. J. Durelli — for introducing an innovative approach or method early in one’s career.
• D. R. Harting — Outstanding Paper Award in Experimental Techniques.
• M. Hetényi — Best research paper published in Experimental Mechanics.
• M. M. Frocht — for outstanding achievement as an educator in experimental mechanics.
• B. J. Lazan — outstanding original technical contributions to experimental mechanics.
• W. M. Murray Lecture — SEM’s prestige lecture.
• S. Nemat‑Nasser Medal — for distinguished, innovative, and outstanding work having impact across experimental mechanics / multidisciplinary.
• R. E. Peterson — Award for best paper published in the Journal of Dynamic Behavior of Materials.
• SAGE Publishing Young Engineer Lecture — recognizing early‑to‑mid‑career members (≈5‑10 years after degree) whose work shows promise; awarded at IMAC.
• Springer/Nature Publishing Young Investigator Lecture — similar scope, awarded at the Annual Conference.
• F. G. Tatnall — for long and distinguished service to the Society.
• C. E. Taylor — for technical excellence in optical stress analysis and good citizenship within SEM.
• P. S. Theocaris — for distinguished, innovative & outstanding work in experimental mechanics.
• F. Zandman — significant contributions to measurement applications (photoelastic coatings, etc.) or strain measurement techniques.
• Michael Sutton International Student Paper Competition — judged on technical content, delivery, etc., for student presenters.

U.S. Association for Computational Mechanics (USACM)

John von Neumann Medal	The highest USACM honor, awarded for outstanding, sustained contributions in computational mechanics over a substantial career.
J. Tinsley Oden Medal	Recognizes outstanding and sustained contributions to computational science, engineering, and mathematics, especially advances in computational theory and methods.
Thomas J.R. Hughes Medal	Honors exceptional contributions in computational mechanics, including computational physics and fluid mechanics, coupled with broad service to the community.
Ted Belytschko Medal	Awarded for significant, original contributions to computational mechanics by a mid-career researcher (typically within 20 years of their terminal degree). It emphasizes creativity and innovation.
Gallagher Young Investigator Award	Recognizes junior faculty or early-career researchers (typically under 40) for outstanding published work and promise in computational mechanics.
Mary F. Wheeler Medal	A newer medal honoring sustained contributions in interdisciplinary/emerging areas such as earth, environmental, and energy sciences (EEES).
Fellow of USACM	Conferred upon members with a distinguished record of research, publications, and service in computational mechanics, with active engagement in USACM activities.

American Physical Society Division of Fluid Dynamics (APS‑DFD)

Fluid Dynamics Prize

For outstanding contributions to fundamental fluid dynamics research.

Stanley Corrsin Award

To recognize a particularly influential contribution to fundamental fluid dynamics.

Andreas Acrivos Dissertation Award in Fluid Dynamics

For exceptional doctoral thesis work in fluid dynamics by an early‑career scientist.

François Frenkiel Award for Fluid Mechanics

To recognize significant contributions by young investigators, for work published recently in Physical Review Fluids. Eligibility limited to early‑career (≤ ~12 years past terminal degree) scientists.

Otto Laporte Award

Historically an APS DFD award to recognize outstanding contributions to fluid dynamics; in 2004 it was merged into the Fluid Dynamics Prize so that there is now a single major prize.

Division of Fluid Dynamics Fellowship

APS Fellowship status awarded via the DFD unit. Recognizes members making significant contributions in fluid dynamics.

International Workshop on Structural Health Monitoring (SHM)

SHM Lifetime Achievement Award: Sponsored by Boeing, honors individuals who have made sustained and pioneering contributions to advancing the field of SHM through research, applications, and education.

SHM Person of the Year Award: Sponsored by SAGE, honors individuals who have made outstanding contributions in the form of theory, analysis, applications, education, or other ways that support the discipline of SHM and benefit society.

SHM Hans-Juergen Schmidt Award: Sponsored by Aerospace Journal, honors individuals for their outstanding leadership in advancing technologies in industry and government.

American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE)

Max Jakob Memorial Award

Jointly administered by ASME (Heat Transfer Division) and AIChE (Transport and Energy Processes Division). Recognizes eminent, scholarly achievement and distinguished leadership in the field of heat transfer.

Donald Q. Kern Award

Given by AIChE’s Transport & Energy Processes Division. Honors expertise in heat transfer, transport phenomena, and energy conversion, especially with significant practical applications.

International Society for Optics and Photonics (SPIE)

Smart Structures and Materials Lifetime Achievement Award

Recognizes senior researchers with long‑standing, significant contributions in smart structures and materials. This is very relevant for aerospace / mechanical fields, especially those working on adaptive systems, vibration control, actuation, etc.

SPIE Nondestructive Evaluation (NDE) Lifetime Achievement Award

Honors those with major contributions to the field of NDE. Critical for aerospace / mechanical engineering in terms of safety, structural health monitoring, maintenance.

Early Career Achievement Award — Academic

Recognizes early career (faculty or equivalent) technical contributions in fields of relevance to SPIE, which can include smart materials, optical/mechanical systems, etc.

Early Career Achievement Award — Industry/Government

Similar to the academic version, but focused on contributions in industry or government, which might include aerospace engineering, defense, optical sensors, etc.

SPIE Fellow

While not a “prize” per se, being named SPIE Fellow is a recognition of one’s professional accomplishments in optics and photonics, which overlaps a lot with aerospace & mechanical systems (e.g. optomechanics, optical sensors, structural health monitoring, etc.).

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)

Judith A. Resnik Space Award

IEEE Aerospace & Electronic Systems Society (AESS)

For outstanding contributions to space engineering in IEEE fields of interest.

IEEE AESS Distinguished Service Award

IEEE AESS

For significant contributions & outstanding service in aerospace & electronic systems.

IEEE AESS Early Career Award

IEEE AESS

Recognizes an individual (young researcher / engineer) who has made outstanding contributions in aerospace & electronic systems.

IEEE AESS Industrial Innovation Award

IEEE AESS

For industry‐level contributions: technical advances in aerospace/embedded/etc systems.

IEEE AESS Pioneer Award

IEEE AESS

For contributions that helped bring into being systems that are still in existence today (i.e. lasting impact).

IEEE CSS Award for Technical Excellence in Aerospace Control	IEEE Control Systems Society	Recognizes a person or team that performed a recent aerospace control engineering activity showing excellence and significant results (e.g. via paper, patent, product).
Carl Hellmuth Hertz Ultrasonics Award	IEEE Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control (UFFC)	Recognizes outstanding achievements in medical ultrasonics, especially innovations that advance diagnostic imaging and therapeutic applications.
UFFC Rayleigh Ultrasonics Award	IEEE UFFC	Honors exceptional contributions to the field of ultrasonics, particularly in advancing the fundamental understanding and application of acoustic waves.
Ultrasonics Early Career Investigator Award	IEEE UFFC	Recognizes outstanding contributions and exceptional promise in the field of ultrasonics by an early-career researcher.

IEEE Fellow

IEEE (all societies)

The status of Fellow recognizes extraordinary achievements in IEEE’s fields of interest, including mechanical/aerospace/control systems etc. Useful for mechanical/aerospace engineers. — (general)

Materials Research Society (MRS)

MRS Medal

Recognizes exceptional achievements in materials research over the past ten years. Mechanistically relevant advances (mechanical behavior, structural materials, etc.) can qualify.

Outstanding Early Career Investigator Award

For researchers who are early career, showing outstanding, interdisciplinary materials research. If your early work involves mechanical behavior, deformation, composites, fatigue, etc., this is likely very suitable.

Mid‑Career Researcher Award

For scientists in mid‑career with exceptional achievements in materials research. Mechanical / aerospace relevant work in materials or applied mechanics would be relevant.

Innovation in Materials Characterization Award

Recognizes outstanding advances in materials characterization. Characterization of mechanical properties, in situ behavior under mechanical or environmental stress, etc., would fall under this.

MRS Impact Award

Honors individuals who have shown excellence in broadening participation, education, science communication or mentoring in materials science. This may be less technical, but relevant if your work spans those areas.

MRS Fellows

Recognizes sustained and distinguished contributions to materials research globally. If you are a senior researcher whose work in mechanical/aerospace materials has had long‑term impact, this is relevant.

The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (TMS)

Brimacombe Medalist

A mid‑career award for sustained excellence in materials science & engineering, including structure‑property relationships, processing, performance. Relevant for aerospace materials.

Oleg D. Sherby Award

Recognizes contributions to the science and engineering of materials behavior at high temperatures. Important for aerospace where high‑temperature materials (e.g. turbine blades) are critical.

Morris Cohen Award

For outstanding contributions to the science and/or technology of materials properties. Fatigue, thermo‑mechanical behavior etc. often part of this.

AIME Champion H. Mathewson Award

Presented for a paper with broad engineering application of metallic materials. Useful for aerospace/structural materials where the paper connects fundamentals to application.

William D. Nix Award

Recognizes a mid‑career individual for contributions in the field of materials research, especially involving mechanical behavior, nano/micro structure, etc. Relevant to mechanical/aerospace materials.

TMS Fellow Award

To recognize outstanding contributions to metallurgy, materials science & technology. Many Fellows work in materials for mechanical/aerospace systems.

Structural Materials Division (SMD) Distinguished Scientist/Engineer Award

From the SMD division, which focuses on materials used in structural applications, high strength, high temperature, deformation resistance. Very relevant.

American Society for Metals International (ASM)

Gold Medal

Recognizes outstanding knowledge and versatility in applying materials science in solving diversified materials/structural problems. Useful for aerospace materials issues (lightweight alloys, high strength, durability).

Engineering Materials Achievement Award (EMAA)

Awarded for outstanding achievement in materials or materials systems relating to the application of materials to an engineering structure or to design/manufacture of a product. Very relevant for structural/aerospace components.

William Hunt Eisenman Award

For industry‑level achievement in practical application of materials science/engineering through production or engineering use. Many aerospace/manufacturing applications fall here.

Albert Sauveur Achievement Award

For pioneering materials science / engineering achievements that lead to advances in the knowledge of materials. If the work is in structural materials, fatigue, high temperature behaviour, etc., very relevant.

Silver Medal Award

A mid‑career recognition (10‑20 years experience) for distinguished contributions in materials science & engineering. Examples of recipients include those doing materials/manufacturing/mechanics work.

Bronze Medal Award

Early career award (≈ 0‑10 years post degree) for significant contributions in materials science & engineering. As many aerospace materials innovations and mechanical behavior work are done early, this is relevant.

ASM Fellows

Recognizes individuals with distinguished contributions in materials science & engineering; many working in aerospace/structural materials or mechanical behavior are elected.

Henry Marion Howe Medal

Awarded for best paper(s) in Metallurgical and Materials Transactions (often about mechanical behavior, high temperature properties, structural/microstructural effects) — likely relevant to mech/aero research.

Award for Early Career Teachers / Bradley Stoughton Award

Recognizes educators in materials science & engineering (including mechanical/materials courses), helpful if someone in mechanical / aerospace teaching materials / structures.

American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE)

John Leland Atwood Award

Aerospace Division

Recognizes an outstanding aerospace engineering educator for contributions to aerospace engineering education.

Ralph Coats Roe Award

Mechanical Engineering Division

Honors a mechanical engineering educator for significant contributions to the profession of mechanical engineering education.

Archie Higdon Distinguished Educator Award

Mechanics Division

For distinguished & outstanding contributions to engineering mechanics education.

Ferdinand P. Beer and E. Russell Johnston, Jr., Outstanding New Mechanics Educator Award(s)

Mechanics Division

Given to up to three early-career faculty (≤5 years past first academic appointment) who show strong commitment & contributions in mechanics education.

James L. Meriam Service Award

Mechanics Division

Recognizes significant service to the Mechanics Division—leadership, contributions, long and dedicated service. Requires ≥10 years service.

Mechanics Division Best Paper Award

Mechanics Division

Awarded annually for the best written paper accepted in the Mechanics Division sessions at the ASEE Annual Conference Proceedings.

Mechanics Division Best Presentation Award

Mechanics Division

For best presentation in Mechanics Division sessions at the ASEE Annual Conference.

Mechanical Engineering Division Best Paper Award

Mechanical Engineering Division

Recognizes the best paper in the ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition Proceedings presented in a session sponsored/co‑sponsored by the Mechanical Engineering Division.

American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE)

Pierre Galletti Award: A distinguished AIMBE prize established to honor foundational leadership and service at the intersection of engineering and medicine/biology. Faculty whose MAE work has translational or biomedical impact might be eligible.

AIMBE Fellow: It honors individuals who have made outstanding contributions in medical & biological engineering, which often overlaps with mechanical engineering (e.g., biomechanics, robotics, fluid dynamics) or bioinstrumentation. 

AIMBE Professional Impact Awards: These are awarded in categories like Mentoring; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Leadership; and Education. MAE faculty who contribute through these broader roles in engineering education, leadership, or inclusion could be good matches.