Ely S. Parker Award

AISES Ely S. Parker Award

The Ely S. Parker Award is the highest award bestowed by AISES, given in honor of the first recognized Native American engineer. Born “Ha-sa-no-an-da” in1828 on the Tonawanda (Seneca) Reservation near Buffalo, New York, Parker went on to earn an engineering degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York. During his lifetime, he made many important civil engineering contributions and was a Chief of the Seneca Nation and a Union Army General.

This award, named for Ely S. Parker, recognizes exceptional Indigenous leaders who clearly embody the AISES mission through their achievements and contributions to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. The AISES Board of Directors is responsible for selecting one award winner annually. Members of the AISES Board of Directors, officers, and staff are not eligible.

 

 

 

2023 Awardee
Dr. Wren Walker Robbins
(Mohawk)

 

1983 - A T (Andy) Anderson, Chemical Engineering (Seneca) - Awarded Posthumously
1984 - Phil Stevens, Engineering (Oglala Sioux)
1985 - Mary Ross, Mathematics & Aerospace Engineering (Cherokee)
1986 - Al Qöyawayma, Mechanical Engineering (Hopi)
1987 - Phil Lane Sr., Civil Engineering (Yankton Sioux)
1988 - Tom Dawson, Electrical Engineering (Cherokee)
1988 - Don Ridley, Aerospace Engineering (Shoshone)
1989 - Dr. Lois Steele, Medicine (Assiniboine)
1990 - Dr. George Blue Spruce, Dentist (Pueblo)
1992 - Fred Begay, Ph.D., Physics (Navajo)
1993 - Dr. Taylor MacKenzie, Medicine (Navajo)
1994 - Dwight Gourneau, Electrical Engineering & Physics (Chippewa)
1995 - Cliff Poodry, Ph.D., Biology (Seneca)
1996 - Fred Cooper, Ph.D., Civil Engineering (Shoalwater Bay)
1997 - Jane Mt. Pleasant, Ph.D., Agronomy & Soil Science (Tuscarora)
1998 - Dick French, Forestry (Yakama) - Awarded Posthumously
1999 - Robert Megginson, Ph.D., Mathematics (Lakota) 
2000 - Jim May, Ph.D., Engineering/Business/ Library Science (Cherokee) 
2001 - Carolyn Elgin, Ed.D., Educator (Choctaw) 
2002 - Dr. Judith Kaur, Medicine (Choctaw/ Cherokee) 
2003 - Carole Gardipe, Geology, (Penobscot) 
2004 - Jerry Elliott, Physics, (Osage/Cherokee) 
2005 - George Thomas, Engineering, (Cherokee) 
2007 - Governor Joseph Garcia (Ohkay Owingeh) 
2008 - Norbert S. Hill Jr. (Oneida) 
2009 - Sandra Begay-Campbell (Navajo) 
2010 - Dr. Robert Whitman (Navajo) 
2011 - Everett Chavez (Kewa Pueblo) 
2012 - Dr. Henrietta Mann (Cheyenne) 
2013 - Bessie Newman Spicer (Navajo) 
2014 - Dr. Jason Younker (Coquille) 
2015 - Dr. Bret Benally-Thompson (White Earth Band of Ojibwe)
2016 - Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer (Citizen Potawatomi Nation)
2017 - Dr. Patricia Nez Henderson (Navajo)
2018 - Cheryl McClellan (Sac and Fox)
2019 - Dr. Roger Dube (Mohawk Turtle Clan)
2020 - Dr. Cara Cowan Watts (Cherokee)
2021 - Rick Stephens (Pala Band of Mission Indians)
2022 - Dr. Wren Stephens (Mohawk)