HENAAC Awards NominationsGreat Minds in STEM™ (GMiS) is in its 28th year of highligting the nation’s best and brightest Hispanic engineers, scientists, mathematicians, and technology experts. Through the HENAAC awards nomination process, GMiS is able to honor and showcase role models to inspire young people to pursue careers in technology, and to moti-vate professionals to continuously connect with the Hispanic community. By nominating individuals from your organization, you support GMiS in providing a pathway and vision for the next generation, of what it means to be a successful STEM professional. Award winners will be recognized during the 28th HENAAC STEM Career Conference, taking place in Anaheim, CA from October 5-9, 2016.

CONTACTAny questions, please contact Monica Villafaña, Director of Client Relations & Executive Services at mvillafana@greatmindsinstem.org.

COVER (Counterclockwise): Victor H. Aguilar-Ruiz, Northrop Grumman Corporation, 2015 Most Promising Engineer - UndergraduateEster Baiget, The Dow Chemical Company, 2015 Professional Achievement II Maria M. Diaz-Masterson, U.S. Navy, 2015 Professional Achievement I with Master of Ceremonies, Mario Lopez

STEP 1 : Read the Award Category descriptions to determine which one is best suited for your candidate.

STEP 2 : Review the Awards Nomination Checklist to ensure you gather all of the required information.

STEP 3 : Create a login account. Fill out the online nomination form and upload your documents. This is a paperless process done through the GMiS website. http://www.greatmindsinstem.org/professionals/nominator

2016 HENAAC Awards

How to submit a nomination:Why nominate your colleagues & Employees?

Identify and showcase Stars of STEMRetain your organization’s top talentPromote your organization’s diversity effortsInspire the next generation of STEM professionalsNominees can be featured Role Models on the GMiS websiteNominees will receive a Certificate of Recognition from GMiS

Outstanding Technical AchievementCandidates nominated for this category must have made a significant technological contribution to STEM through key research or having designed, developed, managed or assisted in the develop-ment of a product, service, system or intellectual property.

Criteria:

Lifetime AchievementThis category was created to honor individuals who are not executives and have given thirty (30) or more years of exemplary service and commitment to STEM.

Criteria:

Executive ExcellenceCandidates must be upper-level executives, with large department and budget responsibilities. Individuals should have twenty (20) plus years of experience. The Executive Excellence award is divided into two catego-ries to balance the playing field between organizations with revenues over and under $20 billion. Nominees from the military and government are classified by their organization’s total annual budget.

Criteria:Uniqueness of individual’s obtained goalLevel of responsibilitiesDegree of discipline and management expertise for level of performance

Uniqueness of the individual’s researchSocietal impact of the researchPatents or published worksInvolvement within the Hispanic community nationally and/or internationally

Total combined years of employment in STEMCareer highlights including top projects, programs, patents and inventions that the candidate has led and/or been a key contributorPast and current mentoring of fellow professionals Ability to be an ambassador for their current employerInvolvement within the Hispanic community nationally and/or internationally

Achievements while in this position Involvement within the Hispanic community nationally and/or internationally

“My parents’ life story of hard work and perseverance has been a source of inspiration for me and I am determined to do my part to inspire others to pursue STEM careers and help our nation remain that shining beacon of freedom and opportunity my parents saw 35 years ago.” Captain Daniel J. Uribe, U.S. Air Force2015 Most Promising Engineer - Advanced Degree - Master’s

2016 HENAAC Awards

Civil Engineering/Environmental DistinctionThis category was created to honor individuals exclusively involved with civil and/or environmental engineering. Candidates must possess a minimum of five (5) years professional experience in a civil engi-neering/environmental engineering position.

Criteria:

Information Technology DistinctionCandidates in this category should be exclusively involved with information technology – Software, Hardware, Security and Management. The Informa-tion Technology Distinction will be divided between 1) Professionals who work for IT companies; 2) Those who work in the IT division of their organization that is not IT-based. Individuals must possess a minimum of five (5) years experience in their specific IT field.

Criteria:

Professional Achievement – Level I and Level IICandidates in this category must be well-established managers or have project responsibility in a technical field with significant contributions in that arena. Nominees in this category are divided into two groups: Level I – 10 to 19 years of experience, and Level II - 20 to 29 years of experience.

Criteria:Uniqueness of individual’s obtained goalLevel of responsibilitiesDegree of discipline and management expertise for level of performance Leadership ability and upward mobility

Expertise in specified civil engineering/environ-mental engineering areaImpact of the nominee’s work on the overall organizationUniqueness of accomplishmentsInvolvement within the Hispanic community nationally and/or internationally

Expertise in specified IT areaImpact of the nominee’s work on the overall organizationUniqueness of accomplishmentsInvolvement within the Hispanic community nationally and/or internationally

Involvement within the Hispanic community nationally and/or internationally

2016 HENAAC Awards

“There is a disparity between the number of students majoring in STEM, in particular computing, and the workforce need. To change these num-bers, we must give back as individuals and contribute to organizations dedicated to Hispanics in STEM. It’s imperative for the good of our nation.” Ann Quiroz-Gates, Ph.D., University of Texas at El Paso2015 Education Distinction

Most Promising Engineer or Scientist - Undergraduate DEGREECandidates in this category must be engineers or scientists with less than ten (10) years work experience and no higher than a bachelor’s degree completed. The candidates’ early technical con-tributions through the bachelor’s degree should already demonstrate a promising career.

Criteria:

EducationThis award was created to honor individuals involved in higher education across the United States. Nominees may be educators, administrators, or coordinators who demonstrate a strong commitment to promoting STEM education program awareness. Some examples of professionals eligible for this cat-egory include university deans, professors and MEP administrators from two-year and four-year institu-tions.

Criteria:

Most Promising Engineer or Scientist - ADVANCED DegreeThe candidate in this category must be an engineer or scientist with less than ten (10) years work experience since earning a completed master’s or doctoral degree in a STEM field. The candidate’s technical contribu-tions should already demonstrate a promising career. Individuals currently enrolled in a master’s or doctoral program do not qualify for this category. Candidates must have already graduated with a master’s or doctoral degree by June 30, 2016.

Criteria:Uniqueness and or innovation of contributions to the organizationLeadership abilities and/or initiativeProfessional and technical achievement to date

Uniqueness and/or innovation of contributions to the organizationLeadership abilities and/or initiativeUniqueness of accomplishmentsProfessional and technical achievement to datePotential for advancement Involvement within the Hispanic community nationally and/or internationally

Success of instituted programs How programs relate to needs of society and schoolMentoring of students to assist with retention and/or graduationInvolvement in outreach to the Hispanic community and other underserved communitiesEffectiveness in recruitment of Hispanic students in STEM

Potential for advancementInvolvement within the Hispanic community nationally and/or internationally

2016 HENAAC Awards

“The most important thing that African American and Hispanic com-munities, especially parents, can do is to assure young people that the opportunities in STEM are available to those who are prepared and support their efforts and aspirations with affirmation and love.” John Brooks Slaughter, Ph.D., University of Southern California 2015 Chairman’s Award Winner

Santiago Rodriguez Diversity AwardCandidates in this category must demonstrate that they have made a difference in an organization’s engagement approach to Hispanic advancement in education, job promotion, business development and the community. Individuals MUST BE em-ployed in the Diversity/Corporate Responsibility/Human Resource division of their respective orga-nization. Nominees for this category do not have to be Hispanic; however the work product of their efforts must have advanced and enhanced Hispanic workforce development within the organization and/or the Hispanic community. Criteria:

EntrepreneurCandidates in this category must own at least 50% of a thriving small or medium size STEM business (i.e. be-tween 10 and 500 employees) that demonstrates strong financial growth. The entrepreneur must be of Hispanic descent.

Criteria:

Community ServiceNominees who are honored in this category usually have a long history of community service and go above and beyond in reaching young people, fellow professionals, and other key demographics. Candidates must demonstrate leadership within the underserved and underrepresented STEM community through volunteer work, contributions and other activities that are NOT part of their current job description.

Criteria:Promoting STEM within the Hispanic and under-served communitiesTime and energy invested in serving the community both within and outside their current organization

Effectiveness of implementing diversity goals and/or changes within the organizationPromoting Hispanic awareness within the organizationOutreach to the Hispanic communityEfforts to promote STEM career development with impact on Hispanics and other underserved communities Community outreach including schools, universities and non–profits

Growth in corporate success Level of innovationCustomer impact and serviceCommunity impactServing as a STEM role-model and involvement with the Hispanic community nationally and/or interna-tionally

Involvement with schools, universities, and organizationsIncreasing fellow colleague involvement in outreach events

Shannon Rodriguez-SanabriaNASA Goddard Space Flight Center

2015 Most Promising Engineer/Scientist – Advanced Degree

Norberto C. Nadal-Caraballo, Ph.D. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

2015 Civil Engineering

Connie P. Medina-GarciaRaytheon Company

2015 Community Service

Abraham Ellis, Ph.D.Sandia National Laboratories2015 Outstanding Technical

Achievement

Special Awards / Engineer & Scientist of the Year

For information on HENAAC Special Award categories including: HENAAC Engineer of the Year and/or Scientist of the Year, Chairman’s Award, Albert V. Baez Award, Pioneer Award and the Vanguard Award, please visit our website: www.greatmindsinstem.org

2016 HENAAC Awards

1. Do you need to be an engineer or SCIENTIST to be nominated for a HENAAC Award?Individuals who are not technical professionals can compete in the categories of Diversity, Community Service and Education. The individual must work to recruit, train, mentor, counsel or promote careers in STEM. Other HENAAC Award catergories are only open to scientists, mathematicians, computer scientists, technologists, and engineers.

2. Do you need to be Hispanic to be nominated for a HENAAC Award?No. There are five award categories where non-Hispanics may be honored. The categories are: Chairman’s Award (awarded at the discretion of the Great Minds in STEM™ Chair), Education, Diversity, Community Service and the Vanguard Award. A non-Hispanic must perform work or outreach activities that strongly impact the Hispanic community’s participation in STEM.

3. Do you need a STEM bachelor’s degree to win a HENAAC Award?In most cases, a person needs a bachelor’s degree in a STEM-based major to be eligible for awards other than those listed in Question #1. However, for military and law enforcement candidates, on-the-job training and experience will be considered in lieu of a bachelor’s degree.

4. How are the Engineer of the Year and/or Scientist of the Year selected?You may not nominate an individual for the Engineer or Scientist of the Year. These individuals are selected from among the top candidates submitted in all professional categories. These honorees can be leaders work-ing in any area of the STEM Enterprise. The Selection Committee seeks individuals, who model the technical excellence and leadership that significantly impact an industry, a field of science and/or engineering, academia, the Hispanic community, and our nation.

5. How is the 2016 nomination submission process different from previous years?The process will be the same as in 2015. The nomination deadline this year is May 27, 2016. You will be able to up-load your nomination online. For more information, please visit our website www.greatmindsinstem.org or contact Monica Villafaña, Director, Client Relations & Executive Services at mvillafana@greatmindsinstem.org.

Frequently Asked Questions

2016 HENAAC Awards

6. What is the nominator statement?Nominators must submit a statement which is a brief description, in 1,000 words or less, of why the individual they are nominating is deserving of the HENAAC award. The focus of this statement should be based on the criteria of the award category for which the individual is being nominated.

7. How many letters of recommendation should be included?There should be a minimum of three (3) and a maximum of five (5) letters of recommendation dated in 2016. The letters can be written by a supervisor, co-worker or someone who has experienced the value of the per-son’s contribution in their specific STEM field. Each letter should be unique and not a repeated form letter. Any additional letters received after the 5th letter will not be included in the nomination packet for review.

9. Will you accept entire theses, papers, research, books, and video clips?It is not necessary to include documents in their entirety. If the candidate has written a thesis, a book, or paper, do not include these documents. With a limited amount of time to review each nomination packet, reviewers will not have the time to read such documents in depth. However, it is imperative to inform the com-mittee of these accomplishments either in a brief summary or list. The only category that should submit more detailed research information is Outstanding Technical Achievement. Video Clips: Please do not submit any multimedia clips. The committee will not have time to review video clips during the selection process. However, if the nominee is selected for an award, Great Minds in STEM™ will ask the organization for video clips that may be used in the award presentation.

10. May I resubmit a 2015 nomination packet?Yes. However, Great Minds in STEM™ requires new letters of recommendation with a current 2016 date. Let-ters of recommendation from previous years, have a tough time competing against current letters from other candidates.

11. May candidates be nominated in more than one category?Yes. However, we do not recommend nominating a candidate for more than two categories in a given year. On the online nomination form please list under category the two categories where you would like the nominee to be considered. For example: Category: Professional Achievement Level I & Civil Engineering DistinctionYou do not need to submit two seperate packets. Great Minds in STEM™ will prepare the packets to be re-viewed by the respective selection committees.

8. What is an acceptable length for the biography?The biography should be no more than 2-3 pages and should be a personal history including information the nominee is comfortable in disclosing publicly. The biography is an opportunity to share significant early-life experiences and motivating factors leading to their success. Nominees can share information about their background, struggles and achievements, awards or commendations, family history, special projects, unique hobbies, or other important life events. The biography should include information not discussed in the letters of recommendation.

2016 HENAAC Awards

12. Is attendance at the HENAAC conference and Awards Show mandatory to win?Yes. All winners must be able to attend the HENAAC Conference and Awards Show from October 5-9, 2016, in Anaheim, CA. If a winner is unable to attend, the next highest ranked candidate in that category will be declared the winner. Typically, the only exceptions to this rule are for service men and women who are on active duty, maternity leave or an extreme family emergency. In these cases, a leader from the organization or family member may accept on the winner’s behalf.

13. Does my company have to be a sponsor of the HENAAC Conference in order for me to apply and win an award? No. The nomination and peer-review selection process is independent of conference sponsorship. Great Minds in STEM™ has had many winners from companies and organizations that are not conference sponsors.

14. When and how will candidates be notified if they are selected for an award? All winners and the individuals who nominated them will be notified via email by the first week of August 2016. A press release and a formal letter of notification with details about the conference, awards show, re-hearsals, etc. will be mailed and sent by email the second week of August 2016. The nominators of individuals who did not win will receive letters indicating that their candidates were not selected for an award by the end of August 2016.

15. Who makes up the Selection Committee? The Section Committee is composed of various Great Minds in STEM™ stakeholders, who have expertise in their given discipline. These committee members are divided into sub committees to evaluate the nomina-tions. For example, individuals with doctoral and master degrees in technology serve on the Outstanding Technical Achievement Committee. These committees report to the Selection Committee Chair(s), who will make the final award selections. The Chair(s) of the committee is the Dean(s) of engineering or science of the Conference Academic Host(s).

16. Do you have to be a U.S. Citizen to be nominated? No. You do not have to be a U.S. citizen to be nominated.

18. What if I still have more questions? If you have additional questions, please contact Monica Villafaña, Director of Client Relations & Executive Services, at (323) 262-0997 or via email to mvillafana@greatmindsinstem.org

2016 HENAAC Awards

17. What are the components of a complete nomination package? A. Online Nomination Form B. Nominator Statement (see question 7) C. Resume D. Full Job Description E. Organizational Chart F. Biography (see question 9) G. Recommendation Letters (see question 8) H. Color Photograph that is at least 300 dpi or higher I. Synopsis of Key Research (for technical award categories only)

A. Online Nomination FormThis online nomination form must be complete as you prepare to submit a nominee. The form requires com-plete contact information for the nominator as well as contact, educational and professional background infor-mation on the nominee.

B. Nominator Statement In 1,000 words or less, in 11-pt or 12-pt size font, the nominator should provide a thorough description of why the individual being nominated is deserving of a HENAAC award. Please address the criteria of the award category for which the individual is being nominated.

C. Resume/Curriculum VitaeThis should be a summary of the nominee’s educational background and relevant job experience.

D. Full Job DescriptionThe job description should explain current job duties and responsibilities.

E. Organizational ChartThe organizational chart should demonstrate where the nominee fits within his/her own department and entire organization.

F. BiographyThe biography should be a personal history sharing information the nominee is comfortable disclosing publicly. Information for the biography can include the nominee’s background, struggles and achievements, awards or commendations, unique hobbies, family history, etc.

G. Recommendation Letters There should be a minimum of three (3) and a maximum of five (5) current letters of recommendation. The letters can be written by a supervisor, co-worker or someone who has experienced the value of the person’s contribution in their specific STEM field. Each letter should be unique and not a form letter with a new name. Any additional letters received after the fifth letter will not be included in the nomination packet for review.

H. Photograph The color photograph should be in 300 DPI resolution and submitted in JPEG format. This photo may be used in TECHNiCA™ Magazine, the HENAAC Conference Journal and/or on the Great Minds in STEM™ website.

I. Synopsis of Key Research This document is required for the technical award categories only. It should include summaries or lists of any research the nominee is involved in as well as patents received or pending.

J. Articles About the Nominee (if applicable) Not a required submission, but recent articles written about the nominee may be submitted for review by the Selection Committee.

HENAAC Awards Nomination Checklist

2016 HENAAC Awards