previous honorees — American Computer and Robotics Museum

2023 Stibitz-Wilson Honorees

Sylvia Earle
An oceanographer, explorer, author and lecture, Sylvia has been dubbed “Her Deepness” by the New Yorker and the New York Times, “Living Legend” by the Library of Congress, and “First Hero for the Planet” by Time Magazine.

NATURE
Executive producer Fred Kaufman, Series producer Bill Murphy, and Series editor Janet Hess will be honored jointly for bringing the wonder of the natural world into American homes with this popular PBS documentary film series.

Gregory Robinson
Gregory’s four-year tenure as James Webb Space Telescope Program Director resulted in far-reaching contributions to the global astrophysics community, and his leadership was instrumental to the success of Webb’s mission.

2022 Stibitz-Wilson Honorees

Paula Apsell
Paula’s influential career in public media and science journalism includes 33 years at the helm of PBS’s NOVA.

J. Craig Venter
Craig’s invaluable contributions to genomic research have earned him recognition as a leading scientist of the 21st Century.

Steve Wozniak
Steve’s foundational work at Apple in the 1970s and 1980s places him at the forefront of the personal computer revolution.

2018 Honorees

Bonnie J. Dunbar
For Exemplary Leadership, Mentorship and Promotion of STEM Education

Donna Dubinsky
For Exemplary Contributions to the Development and Popularization of Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs)

Andone Lavery
For Exemplary Contributions to Acoustical Oceanography and its Applications to Marine Biodiversity

Diana Six
For Exemplary Contributions to the Understanding of Bark Beetle Ecology, Forest Adaptations and Climate Change

2017 Honorees

Rufus Cone
For Seminal & Groundbreaking Contributions to Quantum Memory

Jerry M. Chow
For Seminal & Groundbreaking Contributions to Quantum Computation

Jennifer Doudna
For Seminal & Groundbreaking Contributions to the Development of the CRISPR-Cas9 Gene Editing Technology

Jay M. Gambetta
For Seminal & Groundbreaking Contributions to Quantum Computation

John Heminway
For Distinguished Nature Filmography

The 2017 George Stibitz Computer & Communications Innovator AwardMark Ritter For Seminal & Groundbreaking Contributions to Quantum Computation — Mark Ritter
For Seminal & Groundbreaking Contributions to Quantum Computation

Michelle Simmons
For Seminal & Groundbreaking Contributions to Quantum Computation

Jonathan Titus
An Innovator of Personal Computers and a Distinguished Computer & Electronics Engineering Technology Author

2016 Honorees

The 2016 George R. Stibitz Computer & Communications Innovator AwardJoseph Desch(Posthumous, accepted by Deborah Desch Anderson) For Seminal & Groundbreaking Contributions to the Breaking of the WWII German Enigma Machine Code — Joseph Desch
(Posthumous, accepted by Deborah Desch Anderson)
For Seminal & Groundbreaking Contributions to the Breaking
of the WWII German Enigma Machine Code

Mary Shaw
For Seminal & Groundbreaking Contributions to Software Architecture & Computer Science Curricula

The 2016 George R. Stibitz Computer & Communications Innovator AwardAlan Turing(Posthumous, accepted by Sir Dermot Turing) For Seminal & Groundbreaking Contributions to the Breaking of the WWII German Enigma Machine Code — Alan Turing
(Posthumous, accepted by Sir Dermot Turing)
For Seminal & Groundbreaking Contributions to the Breaking
of the WWII German Enigma Machine Code

Dan Wenk
For Leadership and Undaunted Dedication Towards the Preservation of Biodiversity at Yellowstone National Park

2015 Honorees

The 2015 Edward O. Wilson Biodiversity Technology Innovator AwardJanine BenyusFor Seminal Contributions to the Development and Promotion of Biomimicry Based Technologies — Janine Benyus
For Seminal Contributions to the Development and Promotion of Biomimicry Based Technologies

The 2015 George R. Stibitz Computer & Communications Innovator AwardDavid FerrucciFor Seminal Contributions & Leadership as the Principal Investigator of the IBM Watson Computer — David Ferrucci
For Seminal Contributions & Leadership as the Principal
Investigator of the IBM Watson Computer

The 2015 George R. Stibitz Computer & Communications Innovator AwardRobert GundersonFor Seminal Contributions to the Manual Guidance and Control of the Apollo Mission Saturn V Rocket — Robert Gunderson
For Seminal Contributions to the Manual Guidance and Control of the Apollo Mission Saturn V Rocket

The 2015 Edward O. Wilson Biodiversity Technology Innovator AwardLaurie MarkerFor Seminal Contributions to the Biodiversity of Life Through Conservation, Preservation and Sustainable Human Development — Laurie Marker
For Seminal Contributions to the Biodiversity of Life Through Conservation, Preservation and Sustainable Human Development

The 2015 Edward O. Wilson Biodiversity Technology Innovator AwardKjetil VågeFor Seminal Contributions to the Understanding of Ocean Currents & Climate Change — Kjetil Våge
For Seminal Contributions to the Understanding of Ocean Currents & Climate Change

2014 Honorees

The 2014 George R. Stibitz Computer & Communications Innovator AwardDavid AndesFor the Invention of the World’s First Real Neural Computer — David Andes
For the Invention of the World’s First Real Neural Computer

The 2014 George R. Stibitz Computer & Communications Innovator AwardCynthia BreazealFor Seminal Contributions to the Development of Social Robotics and Human Robot Interactions — Cynthia Breazeal
For Seminal Contributions to the Development of Social Robotics
and Human Robot Interactions

Rebecca Costa
For Exemplary Writing and Public Outreach Regarding
Human Evolution and Sociobiology

The 2014 George R. Stibitz Computer & Communications Innovator AwardEdward FeigenbaumFor Seminal Contributions to the Fields of Artificial Intelligence and Expert Systems — Edward Feigenbaum
For Seminal Contributions to the Fields of Artificial Intelligence and Expert Systems

The 2014 George R. Stibitz Computer & Communications Innovator AwardDouglas HofstadterFor Seminal Contributions to the Understanding of Human Cognition, Consciousness and Perception — Douglas Hofstadter
For Seminal Contributions to the Understanding of Human Cognition, Consciousness and Perception

The 2014 George R. Stibitz Computer & Communications Innovator AwardEric HorvitzFor Seminal Contributions to the Fields of Artificial Intelligence and Human/Machine Intelligent Interfaces — Eric Horvitz
For Seminal Contributions to the Fields of Artificial Intelligence and Human/Machine Intelligent Interfaces

The 2014 George R. Stibitz Computer & Communications Innovator AwardHans MoravecFor Seminal Contributions to the Fields of Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Transhumanism — Hans Moravec
For Seminal Contributions to the Fields of Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Transhumanism

The 2014 Edward O. Wilson Biodiversity Technology Innovator AwardDorothy Hinshaw PatentFor Exemplary Advocation of Biodiversity Through the Authorship of Children’s Science Literature — Dorothy Hinshaw Patent
For Exemplary Advocation of Biodiversity Through the
Authorship of Children’s Science Literature

The 2014 Edward O. Wilson Biodiversity Technology Innovator AwardJohn PriscuFor Outstanding Scientific Research, Advocacy and Public Outreach Regarding Biodiversity — John Priscu
For Outstanding Scientific Research, Advocacy and
Public Outreach Regarding Biodiversity

The 2014 Edward O. Wilson Biodiversity Technology Innovator AwardCathy WhitlockFor Outstanding Scientific Research, Advocacy and Public Outreach Regarding Biodiversity — Cathy Whitlock
For Outstanding Scientific Research, Advocacy and
Public Outreach Regarding Biodiversity

2013 Honorees

The 2013 George R. Stibitz Computer & Communications Innovator AwardWalter Elias Disney(Posthumous, awarded to the Disney Family Museum in San Francisco, CA) For Seminal Contributions to the Development of Humanoid Robotics — Walter Elias Disney
(Posthumous, awarded to the
Disney Family Museum)
For Seminal Contributions to the Development of Humanoid Robotics

The 2013 George R. Stibitz Computer & Communications Innovator AwardJohn H. HollandFor Seminal Contributions to the Fields of Cellular Automata, Genetic Algorithms & the Development of Holland's Schema Theorem — John H. Holland
For Seminal Contributions to the Fields of Cellular Automata,
Genetic Algorithms & the Development of Holland's Schema Theorem

The 2013 George R. Stibitz Computer & Communications Innovator AwardCharles W. HullFor the Invention of Stereolithography (3D Printing) — Charles W. Hull
For the Invention of Stereolithography (3D Printing)

The 2013 Edward O. Wilson Biodiversity Technology Innovator AwardJean B. SweeneyFor the Advocacy & Implementation of Global Environmental Sustainability & Biodiversity in Industry — Jean B. Sweeney
For the Advocacy & Implementation of Global Environmental Sustainability & Biodiversity in Industry

The 2013 Edward O. Wilson Biodiversity Technology Innovator AwardFrans de WaalFor Seminal Contributions to the Understanding of Cognition, Empathy & Morality in Primates — Frans de Waal
For Seminal Contributions to the Understanding of Cognition,
Empathy & Morality in Primates

2012 Honorees

The 2012 Edward O. Wilson Biodiversity Technology Innovator AwardPaul AnastasFor Seminal Contributions to the Foundations of Green Chemistry — Paul Anastas
For Seminal Contributions to the Foundations of Green Chemistry

The 2012 Edward O. Wilson Biodiversity Technology Innovator AwardMay BerenbaumFor Seminal Contributions to the Understanding of Insect Chemical Ecology and the Public Understanding of Biodiversity — May Berenbaum
For Seminal Contributions to the Understanding of Insect Chemical
Ecology and the Public Understanding of Biodiversity

The 2012 George R. Stibitz Computer & Communications Innovator AwardVic HayesFor Seminal Contributions to the Development of WiFi — Vic Hayes
For Seminal Contributions to the Development of WiFi

The 2012 George R. Stibitz Computer & Communications Innovator AwardBob MetcalfeFor Seminal Contributions to the Development of Ethernet — Bob Metcalfe
For Seminal Contributions to the Development of Ethernet

The 2012 Edward O. Wilson Biodiversity Technology Innovator AwardGary StrobelFor Seminal Contributions to the Understanding of Antibacterial, Antifungal and Other Bioactive Plant Compounds — Gary Strobel
For Seminal Contributions to the Understanding of Antibacterial,
Antifungal and Other Bioactive Plant Compounds

2011 Honorees

The 2011 Edward O. Wilson Biodiversity Technology Innovator AwardJohn Kress, David Jacobs, and Peter BelhumeurFor Co-Developing Leafsnap, the First Mobile App for Plant Identification — John Kress, David Jacobs, and Peter Belhumeur
For Co-Developing Leafsnap, the First Mobile App for Plant Identification

The 2011 George R. Stibitz Computer & Communications Innovator Lifetime Achievement AwardFederico FagginFor Foundational Contributions to the Development of the Modern Technological World, Including the MOS Silicon Gate Technology that Led to th… — Federico Faggin
For Foundational Contributions to the Development of the Modern
Technological World, Including the MOS Silicon Gate Technology that Led to the Realization of the World's First Microprocessor in 1971

The 2011 Edward O. Wilson Biodiversity Technology Innovator AwardJim LotimerFor Pioneering Modern Fish & Wildlife Monitoring Systems & Biotelemetry Technology — Jim Lotimer
For Pioneering Modern Fish & Wildlife Monitoring Systems & Biotelemetry Technology

2010 Honorees

The 2010 Edward O. Wilson Biodiversity Technology Innovator AwardSir Alec JeffreysFor the Invention of DNA Fingerprinting - the Basis of Modern DNA Evidence — Sir Alec Jeffreys
For the Invention of DNA Fingerprinting - the Basis of Modern DNA Evidence

The 2010 Edward O. Wilson Biodiversity Technology Innovator AwardBarbara LiskovFor Foundational Contributions to Computer Languages and Object Oriented Programming — Barbara Liskov
For Foundational Contributions to Computer Languages and Object Oriented Programming

The 2010 Edward O. Wilson Biodiversity Technology Innovator AwardLynn MargulisFor the Theory of Symbiogenesis and Seminal Contributions to the Understanding of Evolution and Biology — Lynn Margulis
For the Theory of Symbiogenesis and Seminal Contributions to the Understanding of Evolution and Biology

The 2010 Edward O. Wilson Biodiversity Technology Innovator AwardMax MathewsFor Seminal Contributions to Computer Generated Music and Digital Music Technologies & Software — Max Mathews
For Seminal Contributions to Computer Generated Music and Digital Music Technologies & Software

The 2010 Edward O. Wilson Biodiversity Technology Innovator AwardDavid QuammenFor Exemplary Writing About Science, Biodiversity and the Evolution of Life on Earth — David Quammen
For Exemplary Writing About Science, Biodiversity and the Evolution of Life on Earth

The 2010 Edward O. Wilson Biodiversity Technology Innovator AwardSteve SassonFor Inventing the First Digital Camera — Steve Sasson
For Inventing the First Digital Camera

2009 Honorees

The 2009 Edward O. Wilson Biodiversity Technology Innovator AwardIgnacio Rodriguez-IturbeFor Seminal and Exemplary Engineering Work with Ecohydrology — Ignacio Rodriguez-Iturbe
For Seminal and Exemplary Engineering Work with Ecohydrology

The 2009 Edward O. Wilson Biodiversity Technology Innovator AwardSteve RunningFor Pioneering and Seminal Scientific Work with Climatology, Global Warming and Other Aspects of Atmospheric Scienc — Steve Running
For Pioneering and Seminal Scientific Work with Climatology, Global Warming and Other Aspects of Atmospheric Science

The 2009 Edward O. Wilson Biodiversity Technology Innovator AwardMichael SouléFor Exemplary Scientific and Public Outreach Work — Michael Soulé
For Exemplary Scientific and Public Outreach Work

The 2009 Edward O. Wilson Biodiversity Technology Innovator AwardDavid WardFor Scientific Work with Thermal/Hot Spring Microbial Diversity, Ecology and Evolution — David Ward
For Scientific Work with Thermal/Hot Spring
Microbial Diversity, Ecology and Evolution

2006 Honoree

The 2006 George R. Stibitz Computer & Communications Innovator AwardEdward O. WilsonFor Developing the Electronic Encyclopedia of Life — Edward O. Wilson
For Developing the Electronic Encyclopedia of Life

2005 Honorees

The 2005 George R. Stibitz Computer & Communications Innovator AwardJohn BlankenbakerFor Pioneering the First Personal Computer: The Kenbak-1 — John Blankenbaker
For Pioneering the First Personal Computer: The Kenbak-1

The 2005 George R. Stibitz Computer & Communications Innovator AwardRoss PerotFor Pioneering the Data Processing Industry and the Founding of EDS — Ross Perot
For Pioneering the Data Processing Industry and the Founding of EDS

2002 Honorees

The 2002 George R. Stibitz Computer & Communications Innovator AwardRalph BaerFor Inventing the First Home Video Game — Ralph Baer
For Inventing the First Home Video Game

The 2002 George R. Stibitz Computer & Communications Innovator AwardMartin CooperFor Inventing the Cell Telephone — Martin Cooper
For Inventing the Cell Telephone

The 2002 George R. Stibitz Computer & Communications Innovator AwardKlein GilhousenFor Principal Designer of the CDMA DigitalCell Phone Technology — Klein Gilhousen
For Principal Designer of the CDMA DigitalCell Phone Technology

The 2002 George R. Stibitz Computer & Communications Innovator AwardLeroy HoodFor Inventing the Automated DNA Sequencer — Leroy Hood
For Inventing the Automated DNA Sequencer

The 2002 George R. Stibitz Computer & Communications Innovator AwardJames RussellFor Inventing the Digital Compact Disc — James Russell
For Inventing the Digital Compact Disc

The 2002 George R. Stibitz Computer & Communications Innovator AwardJon TitusFor Inventing the Mark-8: The First Hobbyist Microcomputer Kit — Jon Titus
For Inventing the Mark-8: The First Hobbyist Microcomputer Kit

2001 Honorees

The 2001 George R. Stibitz Computer & Communications Innovator Award

2000 Honorees

Tim Berners-Lee
For Inventing the World Wide Web

Ray Tomlinson
For Inventing E-Mail

Steve Wozniak
For Inventing the Apple I & Apple II Computers & For
Co-Founding of the Apple Computer Company

1999 Honorees

Vinton G. Cerf
For Pioneering the Internet: Major Design and Development Contributor to the Original ARPANET NCP Protocol and Co-Inventor of the Internet's TCP/IP Protocol

James Harris
For Key Contributions to the Invention of the First Transistorized Computer - the TRADIC

Robert E. Kahn
For Pioneering the Internet: Major Design and Development Contributor to the Original ARPANET NCP Protocol and Co-Inventor of the Internet's TCP/IP Protocol

1998 Honorees

The 1998 George R. Stibitz Computer & Communications Innovator AwardDoug EngelbartFor Inventing the Computer Mouse & For Pioneering the Modern Graphical User Interface — Doug Engelbart
For Inventing the Computer Mouse & For Pioneering the
Modern Graphical User Interface

Ed Roberts
For Inventing of the First Successful Personal Computer: The Altair

1997 Honorees

The 1997 George R. Stibitz Computer & Communications Innovator AwardArthur BurksFor One of the Principal Designers of the ENIAC Computer For Major Design Contributions to the ENIAC Computer — Arthur Burks
For One of the Principal Designers of the ENIAC Computer; For Major Design Contributions to the ENIAC Computer

The 1997 George R. Stibitz Computer & Communications Innovator AwardChuan ChuFor Major Design Contributions to the ENIAC Computer — Chuan Chu
For Major Design Contributions to the ENIAC Computer

The 1997 George R. Stibitz Computer & Communications Innovator AwardEldon HallFor Inventing the Apollo Moon Mission Guidance Computer — Eldon Hall
For Inventing the Apollo Moon Mission Guidance Computer

The 1997 George R. Stibitz Computer & Communications Innovator AwardFederico FagginFor Co-Inventing The Microprocessor — Federico Faggin
For Co-Inventing The Microprocessor

The 1997 George R. Stibitz Computer & Communications Innovator AwardTed HoffFor Co-Inventing the Microprocessor — Ted Hoff
For Co-Inventing the Microprocessor

The 1997 George R. Stibitz Computer & Communications Innovator AwardMaury IrvineFor Team Project Member of the TRADIC Computer: The First Transistorized Computer — Maury Irvine
For Team Project Member of the TRADIC Computer:
The First Transistorized Computer

The 1997 George R. Stibitz Computer & Communications Innovator AwardJack KilbyFor Inventing the Integrated Circuit & Co-Inventing the Hand-held Calculator — Jack Kilby
For Inventing the Integrated Circuit & Co-Inventing the Hand-held Calculator

The 1997 George R. Stibitz Computer & Communications Innovator AwardJerry MerrymanFor Co-Inventing the Hand-held Calculator — Jerry Merryman
For Co-Inventing the Hand-held Calculator

The 1997 George R. Stibitz Computer & Communications Innovator AwardJames Van TasselFor Co-Inventing the Hand-held Calculator — James Van Tassel
For Co-Inventing the Hand-held Calculator