These nomination procedures apply only to the Charles Stark Draper Prize. The nomination must be typewritten in English. There are no restrictions on who may nominate candidates for the Prize. NAE members and non-members worldwide are eligible to receive the Draper Prize. Solicitations are sent to members and foreign associates of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering, foreign engineering academies, and other organizations and persons from around the world.
The Draper Prize is awarded for a specific achievement or for a series of achievements in any engineering discipline, and may be awarded to an individual or a group of individuals contributing to the same achievement. Consideration will be given to achievements in all engineering disciplines. The Draper Prize is not awarded posthumously.
How to Complete the Nomination Form for the 2012 Draper Prize
A nomination form must be completed and submitted during the NAE Call for Nominations period starting January 3, 2011 and ending April 1, 2011. Please see the NAE Awards Call for Nominations web page for additional information and to download the necessary materials.
The following information constitutes a complete nomination:
1. A completed nomination form.
2. Attached information that includes:
- A narrative description of the achievement, in an attachment of no more than four (4) pages that addresses the selection criteria (see Draper Prize Addendum).
- The candidate's curriculum vitae (no more than two (2) pages per candidate).
- A selected bibliography of publications relevant to the achievement (no more than two (2) pages) - optional.
- At least three (3) and not more than (6) supporting letters.
Note: Nominations without supporting letters will not be considered. Supporting letters may accompany the nomination form or may be sent separately, so long as all components of the nomination are received by the NAE Awards Office by April 1, 2011. The nominator is responsible for soliciting supporting letters and ensuring that the letters are submitted to the NAE Awards Office before the deadline. Supporting letters may be addressed to the nominator or to the Draper Prize committee and forwarded to the NAE Awards Office.
How to Submit the Nomination Form
Submit your nomination by:
1. Mail
NAE Awards
National Academy of Engineering
500 Fifth Street, NW, Keck 1048
Washington, DC 20001
2. Fax
Attn: NAE Awards
(202) 334-2290
3. E-mail
NAE Awards Office
Draper Prize Selection Criteria
The narrative description of the achievement that accompanies the nomination form and additional materials should provide qualitative and quantitative evidence that the following criteria are met:
- Success in the number of people actually or potentially benefited by the innovation or achievement, and the extent of this benefit.
- Demonstrated novelty, originality, and fundamental character of the technical idea or concept underlying the innovation or achievement.
- Demonstration that the innovation or achievement has removed fundamental barriers or constraints to subsequent incremental improvement and refinement, or that it embodies wholly new scientific principles.
- Demonstrated richness of technical ramifications of a new concept or invention, and applicability in many different areas of application far removed from each other.
- Demonstration of the extent of follow-through on the part of the originating individual or team. Excellence in design, execution and management of the innovation, and commercialization or “operationalization” of a new idea should be demonstrated, in addition to the ingenuity and novelty of the original technical conception of “proof of principle.”
- Demonstrated economic impact, actual or potential, of the innovation or achievement. Economic impact would include gross revenues generated by a new product or process, cost savings made possible by a new process, reductions in environmental impact, or benefits to health and safety in the workplace or of consumers.