Scientific and Organizational Awards
NREL's facility and staff are regularly recognized by scientific societies and community and government organizations. Find awards and honors by category below.
Scientific and technical society fellows are listed below, along with recent awards.
American Association for the Advancement of Science
2013 Fellow — Martin Keller
2003 Fellow — Dr. Art Nozik
2000 Fellow — Dr. Michael Seibert
1995 Fellow — Helena Chum
1991 Fellow — Robert Thresher
American Chemical Society
2010 Fellow — Helena Chum
American Chemical Society — Cellulose and Renewable Materials Division
2005 Fellow — Helena Chum
American Chemical Society — Fuels & Energy Division
2014 OpenEye Outstanding Junior Faculty Award —Gregg Beckham
2010 Glenn Award for Best Paper — Casey McAlpin, Teresa Alleman, and Robert McCormick
2006 Special Festschrift Journal of Physical Chemistry B Publication — Arthur J. Nozik
American Chemical Society — Northeastern Section
2011 Gustavus John Esselen Award — Dr. Arthur J. Nozik
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)
2005 Associate Fellow — Paul Migliore
American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AlChE) Computational Science and Engineering Forum
2014 Young Investigator Award — Gregg Beckham
American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
2011 Finegan Standards Leadership Medal — Richard DeBlasio
American Physical Society
2002 Fellow — Shengbai Zhang
2001 Fellow — Richard Ahrenkiel
2000 Fellow — Arthur Nozik
2000 Fellow — Su-Huai Wei
1999 Fellow — Dick Ahrenkiel
1987 Fellow — Lawrence Kazmerski
American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)
Fellows
1993 Fellow — Sheila Hayter
Awards
2013 New Face of Engineering — Ian Metzger
2010 Exceptional Service Award — Sheila Hayter
2005 Crosby Field Award — Ali Jalalzadeh-Azar
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
Fellows
2005 Congressional Fellow — Eldon Boes
2001 Fellow — Desikan Bharathan
1996 Fellow — Robert Thresher
Awards
2015 Thomas A. Edison Patent Award — Andy Walker
2007 Graduate Student Award — Frank Burkholder
2007 Outstanding Wind Energy Conference Paper — Jason Jonkman
American Solar Energy Society
Fellows
2011 Fellow — Dr. Lawrence Kazmerski
2005 Fellow — Cecile Warner
2002 Fellow — Chuck Kutscher
2001 Fellow — Nancy Carlisle
Awards
2011 Charles Greely Abbott Award — Tom Stoffel
2008 John and Barbara Yellott Award — Frank Burkholder
2008 Charles Greeley Abbot Award — Dr. Lawrence Kazmerski
2006 Charles Greeley Abbot Award — Dr. Chuck Kutscher
ASTM International
2011 Award of Excellence for Outstanding Leadership — Wendy Clark
2010 Award of Merit and Fellow Title — Carl Osterwald
American Vacuum Society
2011 Fellow — Timothy Gessert
2001 Fellow — Pete Sheldon
1998 Fellow — Tim Coutts
1995 Fellow — Dick Ahrenkiel
1994 Fellow — Lawrence Kazmerski
Clean Energy Ministerial
2016 U.S. Clean Energy Education & Empowerment (C3E) Award — Sarah Kurtz and Suzanne Tegen
DiscoverE
2016 New Faces of Engineering — Rachel Romero
Electrochemical Society
Fellows
2015 Fellow — John Turner
2000 Fellow — David Ginley
Awards
2013 Heinz Gerischer Award — Dr. Arthur Nozik
2012 Charles W. Tobias Young Investigator Award — Bryan Pivovar
Energy Facilities Contractors Group (EFCOG)
2015 Teamwork Award — Matt Dabney
Eni
2008 Eni Award — Dr. Arthur Nozik
Geothermal Energy Association
2015 Top Recognition —Dan Getman and Jordan Macknick
Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Awards Corporation (HENAAC)
2015 Great Minds in STEM Luminary Honoree — Judith Gomez
2008 Hall of Fame inductee — Dan Arvizu
Idaho State University
2006 Professional Achievement Award — John A. Turner
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
Fellows
2010 Fellow — Eduard Muljadi
2003 Life Fellow — Dick Ahrenkiel
2001 Fellow — Richard Ahrenkiel
1999 Fellow — Dick Ahrenkiel
1988 Fellow — Lawrence Kazmerski
Awards
2015 Best Paper — Erik Ela, Anthony Florita, Bri-Mathias Hodge, Eduardo Ibanez, Ibrahim Krad, Bryan Palmintier, Hongyu Wu, and Jie Zhang
2013 Outstanding Large Company — National Renewable Energy Laboratory
2013 William R. Cherry Award — Keith Emery
2012 William R. Cherry — Dr. Sarah Kurtz
2011 William R. Cherry Award — Jerry Olson
2010 IEEE Charles Proteus Steinmetz Award — Dick DeBlasio
2006 World PV Award — Lawrence Kazmerski
2005 William R. Cherry Award — Dr. Tim Coutts
1993 William R. Cherry Award — Dr. Lawrence L. Kazmerski
1980 William R. Cherry Award — Dr. Paul Rappaport
International Academy of Wood Science (IAWS)
2004 Fellow — Steve Kelley
1991 Fellow — Helena Chum
International Energy Agency
2008 Outstanding Performance Award — Ron Judkoff
International Society for Professional Innovation Management (ISPIM)
2015 Grand Prize — SunShot Catalyst Team
Materials Research Society
2013 Woody Award — David Ginley
National Academy of Engineering
2014 Elected Member — Dan Arvizu
2005 Elected Member — Dr. Lawrence Kazmerski
National Biodiesel Board (NBB)
2006 Innovation Award — Bob McCormick
Optical Society of America
1976 Fellow — Dick Ahrenkiel
Oregon State University
2011 Engineering Hall of Fame — Dr. Bob Thresher
Pennsylvania State University
2006 Nelson W. Taylor Award for Materials Science — Dr. Lawrence Kazmerski
Project Management Institute (PMI)
2014 PMI Project of the Year Award — National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Royal Society of Chemistry
2002 Fellow — Garry Rumbles
SAE International
Fellow
2008 Fellow — Wendy Clark
Awards
2013 Forest R. McFarland Award — John Rugh
2012 Excellence in Oral Presentation Award — Jeremy Neubauer
2011 Excellence in Oral Presentation Award — Aaron Williams
2011 Lloyd L. Withrow Distinguished Speaker Award — John Rugh
2010 Outstanding Oral Presentation Award — John Rugh
University of Colorado
2015 Wirth Chair in Sustainable Development Award—Dan Arvizu
University of Delaware
2007 Karl W. Böer Solar Energy Medal of Merit Award — Lawrence Kazmerski
University of Maine, College of Engineering
2010 Edward T. Bryand Award — Dr. Lawrence Kazmerski
University of Missouri College of Engineering
2008 Missouri Honor Award for Distinguished Service in Engineering — Stan Bull
University of South Carolina
2013-2014 Outstanding Co-op Employer —Huyen Dinh
Utility Variable-Generation Integration Group
2016 Achievement Award — Vahan Gevorgian and Barbara O'Neill
2015 Achievement Award — Kara Clark
2013 Annual Achievement Award — Debbie Lew, Greg Brinkman, Maureen Hand, and Trieu Mai
World Conference of Photovoltaic Energy Conversion
2006 World PV Award — Dr. Lawrence Kazmerski
These awards were presented to NREL and its staff by scientific and community organizations.
American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE)
2005 Chairman's Cup — Syl Morgan-Smith
American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC)
2010 Engineering Excellence — Row 4 Turbine Infrastructure, National Wind Technology Center
Bike to Work Day
2006-2015 Business Challenge Winner — National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Biofuels Digest Magazine
2012 Young Algae Researcher Award — Justin Ungerer
2010 Top 100 People in Bioenergy — Al Darzins
2010 Top 100 People in Bioenergy — Tom Foust
2010 Top 100 People in Bioenergy — Phil Pienkos
Business Journal
2015 Women In Energy — Bobi Garrett
2010 Research Support Facility Outstanding Commercial Property Design
Community Health Charities
2014 Health Heroes Award — National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Community Shares of Colorado
2015 Workplace Giving Campaign of the Year — National Renewable Energy Laboratory
2013 Workplace Giving Campaign of the Year — National Renewable Energy Laboratory
2011 Community Partner Hall of Fame — National Renewable Energy Laboratory
2010 Workplace Giving Campaign of the Year — National Renewable Energy Laboratory
2009 Workplace Giving Campaign of the Year — National Renewable Energy Laboratory
2008 Workplace Giving Campaign of the Year — National Renewable Energy Laboratory
CO-LABS
2009 Governor's Award for Research Impact in Renewable Energy — National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Colorado Construction Magazine
2006 Silver Hard Hat Award — Science and Technology Facility
Dan David Foundation
2007 "Dan David Prize" — Dr. Jerry Olson and Dr. Sarah Kurtz
Denver Business Journal
2014 Top Women in Energy — Martha Symko-Davies
Federal Electronics Challenge
2008 Silver-level Award — National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Great Minds in STEM
2015 Luminary Honoree —Judith Gomez
Green Builder Magazine
2008 Project of the Year — SMUD Home of the Future — National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Hispanic Engineer and Information Technology Magazine
2011 Top 200 Most Influential Hispanics in Technology — Dan Arvizu
2005 One of the 50 Most Important Hispanics in Technology and Business — Dan Arvizu
HPCwire Magazine
2014 Editors' Choice Award — National Renewable Energy Laboratory
International Institute of Education (IIE)
2008 International Corporate Leadership Award — National Renewable Energy Laboratory
League for American Bicyclists
2014 Bicycle Friendly Business —Bronze Level — National Renewable Energy Laboratory
McGraw Hill
Mile High United Way
2014 Best Employee Engagement and Boots on the Ground Award — National Renewable Energy Laboratory
National Center for Transit Research
2015 Best Workplaces for Commuters —NREL
National Energy Education Development (NEED) Project
2009 Distinguished Service Award — Linda Lung
Oracle
2010 Enable the Eco-Enterprise Award — RedSky/RedMesa Supercomputer
Thomson Reuters
2014 World's Most Influential Scientific Minds —Keith Emery
2014 Highly Cited Research List —Keith Emery
2014 World's Most Influential Scientific Minds —Art Nozik
2014 Highly Cited Research List —Art Nozik
Siemens
2011 Sustainable Community Award, Small Community — Lynn Billman, Shanti Pless, and the Greensburg Team
Urban League of Metropolitan Denver
2006 Outstanding Community Service Award — Syl Morgan-Smith
World Renewable Energy Congress/Network (WREN)
2010 WREN Pioneer — Keith Emergy
2010 WREN Pioneer — Dr. Falah Hasoon
2010 WREN Pioneer — Dr. Chuck Kutscher
2010 WREN Pioneer — Dr. David Renné
2008 Special Award for Outstanding Contribution to Renewable Energy Globally — Dan Arvizu
2006 Pioneer Award — Barbara Farhar
Web Marketing Association
2014 Outstanding Government Website — National Renewable Energy Laboratory Innovation Impact website
Windpower Engineering & Development
2016 Innovators and Influencers, Wind Pioneer — Palmer Carlin
Xcel Energy
2015 Self-Direct Achievement Award — National Renewable Energy Laboratory
2008 Recommissioning Champion Award — Anna Hoenmans
These Federal Laboratory Consortium awards are given to scientists, researchers, and others who work for federal laboratories and agencies in recognition of their excellence for transferring government-sponsored technologies to the public and private sectors.
2014 STEM Mentorship Award — Linda Lung
2014 Mid-Continent Regional Award for Excellence in Technology Transfer — Isothermal Battery Calorimeters — National Renewable Energy Laboratory
2014 Mid-Continent Regional Award for Notable Technology Development — Image Processing Occupancy Sensor — National Renewable Energy Laboratory
2014 Honorable Mention in Excellence in Technology Transfer — Isothermal Battery Calorimeters — National Renewable Energy Laboratory
2011 Outstanding Lab Representative — Carrieann McDonough
2011 Excellence in Technology Transfer Award — Innovalight Silicon Ink Process — Richard Mitchell and Team
2011 Excellence in Technology Transfer Award — Electrochromic Window Technology — Dane Gillaspie and Team
2010 Excellence in Technology Transfer Award — "Black Silicon" Nanocatalytic Wet-Chemical Etch Technique — Howard Branz and Team
2010 Excellence in Technology Transfer Award — Flexible Thin-Film Crystalline-Silicon Photovoltaics on RABiTS —NREL's National Center for Photovoltaics
2009 Excellence in Technology Transfer Award — Inverted Metamorphic Multijunction Solar Cell — Concentrating Photovoltaics Group
2008 Mid-continent Award — Hybrid CIGS (copper indium gallium diselenide) — Dr. David Ginley and Team
2005 Laboratory Director of the Year — Richard Truly
2005 Notable Technology Development Award — Clean Fractionation — NREL's National Bioenergy Center
2005 Notable Technology Development Award — The world's first fully integrated "biorefinery" — NREL's National Bioenergy Center
U.S. Department of Energy and Other Agency Awards
These awards were presented to NREL and its staff by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and other federal, state, and local governments.
2016 Merit Award — Christopher Ainscough, Mary Biddy, Melanie Caton, Bryan Pivovar, Todd Ramsden, Daniel Terlip, and Michael Ulsh
2016 Special Recognition Award, Motor Thermal Management — Kevin Bennion
2016 Appreciation Award — Sara Farrar, Chuck Kurnik, Alicen Kandt, Doug Herrick, Pam Gray-Hann, Carol Laurie, Amy Vaughn-Liles, and Marguerite Kelly
2016 AMR Team Award, U.S. DRIVE Partnership — Mary Biddy, Abhijit Dutta, Colleen Feely, and Todd Ramsden
2015 Energy Innovation Award — Jon Weers and Debbie Brodt-Giles
2015 Facility Management Contractor Small Business Program Manager of the Year — Rexann Dunn
2012 Annual Merit Award — Matt Thornton
2011 Merit Award for Research, Development, and Analysis of Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Technologies — George Sverdrup and Marc Melaina
2010 Innovation Achievement in Training and Awareness — NREL Cyber Security Team
2008 Department of Energy Award — Greensburg Kansas Project — Lynn Billman, Mary Colvin Werner, and Team
2008 SciDAC Electronic Visualization Competition, Second Place — Cel7A Animation — Mike Crowley
2007 Outstanding Innovations Award — David Ginley
2005 Outstanding Technology Acceptance Award — Larry Flowers
2005 Outstanding Research Achievement Award — Brian Parsons
2005 Outstanding Research Achievement Award — Neil Kelley
DOE Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Program
2015 Merit Award — Pin-Ching Maness
2015 Team Merit Award — Brian Bush, Marc Melaina, and Michael Penev (with Amgad Elgowainy of Argonne National Laboratory)
2014 Merit Award — Wendy Dafoe
2014 Merit Award — Gi-Heon Kim
2014 Merit Award — Jennifer Kurtz
2014 Merit Award — Todd Deutsch
2014 Merit Award — Michael Penev
Housing Innovation Awards
2014 Advanced Technologies and Practices Category — Window Air Conditioner Improvements
2013 Advanced Technologies and Practices Category — Window Air Conditioners
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
2010 Federal Electronic Challenge, Platinum Award — Peter Hathaway and Team
2009 Federal Electronics Challenge, Gold Award — Henri Hubenka and Team
2008 Federal Electronics Challenge, Silver Award — Henri Hubenka and Team
2006 Climate Protection Award — National Renewable Energy Laboratory
2005 Green Power Pioneer Award — Blair Swezey
Sustainability
2016 Sustainability Recognition, Workplace Charging Challenge — National Renewable Energy Laboratory
2016 EPEAT Purchaser Award — National Renewable Energy Laboratory
2015 GreenBuy Gold Award — National Renewable Energy Laboratory
2014 GreenBuy Gold Award — National Renewable Energy Laboratory
2014 Sustainability Award for Novel, Holistic Approach to Data Center Sustainability — National Renewable Energy Laboratory
2013 Sustainability Award for Green IT Stewardship — National Renewable Energy Laboratory
2011 E-Star Award — Building the Sustainable Campus of the Future — NREL Sustainability Team
2011 E-Star Award — Near-Zero Materials Waste and Beyond — NREL Sustainability Team
2008 Pollution Prevention Star Award — Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design — Science and Technology Facility
2006 Pollution Prevention Star Award — Science and Technology Facility
2007 Pollution Prevention Star Honorable Mention — Science and Technology Facility
2011 GreenGov Presidential Award — NREL Data Center — NREL Sustainability program
2008 Presidential Award — Leadership in Federal Energy Management — Nancy Carlisle and Otto VanGeet
2007 Presidential Award for Leadership in Federal Energy — Nancy Carlisle and Otto VanGeet
City of Denver, Colorado
2013 Top Work Place — National Renewable Energy Laboratory
City of Greensburg, Kansas
2009 Outstanding Partner Award — National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Colorado Governor's Office
2012 Governor's Award for High-Impact Research — Matt Keyser
2010 Governor's Award — High-impact Research in Energy Efficiency, Electrochromic Windows
2010 Governor's Award — High-Impact Research, Energy Efficiency Finalist — John Rugh
2008 Governor's Excellence in Renewable Energy Award — Chuck Kutscher
Department of Public Health and Environment
2010 Colorado Environmental Leadership Program Gold Leader — National Renewable Energy Laboratory
2009 Colorado Environmental Leadership Program Gold Leader — National Renewable Energy Laboratory
2008 Colorado Environmental Leadership Program Silver Leader — National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Jefferson County, CO
2006 Design Excellence - Commissioner's Award — Science and Technology Facility
Denver Regional Council of Government
2014 Way to Go Award — National Renewable Energy Laboratory
2014 Way to Go Commuter Champion — Lissa Myers
Federal Green Challenge
2014 Overall Achievement — National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation
2008 Chairman's Award — Dan Arvizu
National Park Service
2015 Director's Partnership Award — Andrew Hudgins
National Veteran Small Business Coalition
2014 Champion of Veteran Enterprise Award — National Renewable Energy Laboratory