The Outstanding Young Professional (OYP) Award—formerly the Outstanding Young Electrical Engineer (OYEE) Award—has been presented annually since 1936. This award shall be given annually to a young professional for meritorious service in the interests of humankind as evidenced by his or her past record and future promise, as well as for outstanding achievements in his or her chosen profession. The description of the character of the contributions for which this recognition may be awarded should be liberally construed by the nominators. Many recipients of this award have gone on to make major contributions to the electrical and computer engineering fields and hold noteworthy positions in academia, industry, and government.

Deadline to nominate someone: the first Monday after 30 April each year (Self-nominations are not accepted. Members of the IEEE-HKN Awards Committee and its subcommittees, IEEE-HKN Board of Governors members, and HKN staff may not be nominators nor endorsers of this award.)

Prize: Plaque

Award purpose

This award shall be given annually to a young professional for meritorious service in the interests of humankind as evidenced by his or her past record and future promise, as well as for outstanding achievements in his or her chosen profession. The description of the character of the contributions for which this recognition may be awarded should be liberally construed by the nominators.

Award Sub-Committee

  • Vineetha Menon, Chair
  • Daryl G. Beetner
  • Guilhem De Valicourt 
  • DongHyun (Bill) Kim

Award presentation

This award is presented during the annual IEEE Educational Activities Board Award Ceremony, held in November each year.

Eligibility

A candidate for recognition as an Outstanding Young Professional must adhere to the following:

  1. The candidate must be a graduate from an approved program from which a B.S., B.E., M.S., M.E., or Ph.D. (or equivalent degree) in electrical or computer engineering, or IEEE-designated field of interest, has been granted.
  2. The candidate’s engineering (or equivalent) degree in any of the IEEE-designated fields of interest must have been earned from a recognized regional or professional accrediting agency.
  3. The candidate must not yet have reached his or her 35th birthday on 1 May of the year for which the award is granted.
  4. Achievement may be in any field, including industry, education, or government. It may involve research, development, or manufacturing. It might also involve management or marketing. In making selections of candidates, their achievements will be examined for an application of basic engineering methods or principles.
  5. Must be an inducted member of IEEE-HKN.

Nominating Someone for the Award

Nominations shall be made via the official nomination form on the IEEE-HKN Awards portal, and shall be submitted electronically.  Self-nominations are not accepted. Members of the IEEE-HKN Awards Committee and its subcommittees, IEEE-HKN Board of Governors members, and HKN staff may not be nominators nor endorsers of this award.

The following may make nominations:

  • Any member, or group of members, of IEEE-HKN
  • Any duly constituted unit of the IEEE
  • The head or chair of the electrical or computer engineering department, or department of any IEEE-designated field of interest, from any recognized regional or professional accrediting agency
  • Any other individuals, or groups of individuals, who in the opinion of the IEEE-HKN Award Organization Committee are properly qualified to make nominations

Selection process

Announcement of the outstanding young engineer, honorable mentions, and finalists chosen from among the nominees by the Jury of Award will be made following the completion of a careful survey of all of the candidates’ credentials. The jury also reserves the right to make no selections when, in their opinion, no candidates with the necessary qualifications are presented. The candidate selected will receive appropriate designations by IEEE-HKN as the Outstanding Young Professional.

Award Recipients

Previous Award Winners

2025: Ana Inês Silva Inácio

2024: No Award Given

2023: Dr. DongHyun (Bill) Kim

2022: Dr. Achuta Kadambi

2021: Vineetha Menon

2020: No award given.

2019: Guilhem de Valicourt

2017: Jamal Madni

2016: Salvatore Campione

2015: Payman Dehghanian

2014: Changzi Li

2013: Sampathkumar Veeraraghavan

2012: Dirk R. Englund

2011: No Award Given

2010: No Award Given

2009: No Award Given

2008: No Award Given

2007: No Award Given

2006: No Award Given

2005: Karen Miu Miller

2004: Christopher Hickman and Douglas Tougaw

2003: A. Emadi

2002: M.H. Lipasti

2001: T.L. Olson

2000: K. Ramaswamy

1999: C.M. DeCusatis

1998: Z-Q Zhang

1997: F.M Chiussi

1996: S.T. Acton

1995: P. Cosentino

1994: K.E. Ismail

1993: W.W. Hwu

1992: P.O. Nunally

1991: C.J. Chang-Hasnain

1990: C. Jankowski

1989: S.M. Yuen

1988: R.A. Spanke

1987: J.G. Frohlich

1986: M. Keith

1985: M.G. Adamiak

1984: W.E. Moerner

1983: B.F. Fitzgerald

1982: C.R. Johnson, Jr.

1981: T.R. Gheewala

1980: J.E. Russell, Sr.

1979: R.G. Cornell

1978: R.E. Birney

1977: J.G.N. Henderson

1976: C.S. Hartmann

1975: D.J. Melvold

1974: H.J. Hovel

1973: J.T. LaMacchia

1972: G.P. Shuraym

1971: E.R. Berlekamp

1970: J.B. Farison

1969: R.E. Larson

1968: G.H. Heilmeier

1967: R.R. Elfant

1966: M.H. Lewin

1965: E.M. Davis, Jr.

1964: W.L. Shevel, Jr.

1963: D.C. Forster

1962: J.T. Duane

1961: C.J. Baldwin, Jr.

1960: K.H. Olsen

1959: E.A. Sack, Jr.

1958: M.R. Currie

1957: R.P. Crago

1956: J.J. Baruch

1955: W.E. Chope

1954: R.F. Mettier

1953: P.A. Abetti

1952: J.B.N. Granger

1951: L.G. Gitzendanner

1950: D.P. Campbell

1949: R.C. Cheek

1948: A.R. Zarem

1947: R.R. Hough

1946: E.M. Williams

1945: J.M. Wallace

1944: R.W. Porter

1943: N.I. Hall

1942: J.R. Pierce

1941: C. Burnetti

1940: J.R. Hobson

1939: L.A. Meacham

1938: W.E. Kock

1937: C.G. Suits

1936: F.M. Starr

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