ACM's Special Interest Groups (SIGs) regularly cite outstanding individuals for their contributions in more than 30 distinct technological fields. Click on the links below to see descriptions of the awards from each SIG. For information on the selection criteria for these awards, please contact the Chair of the sponsoring SIG directly.

SIGACCESS SIGACT SIGAda SIGAPL SIGAPP SIGARCH SIGART SIGBED SIGCAS SIGCHI SIGCOMM SIGCSE SIGDA SIGDOC SIGGRAPH SIGIR SIGKDD SIGMETRICS SIGMIS SIGMOBILE SIGMOD SIGOPS SIGPLAN SIGSAC SIGSAM SIGSOFT SIGUCCS SIGWEB

SIGACCESS – Accessible Computing

• SIGACCESS Best Paper Award: Presented to the individual(s) judged by an awards committee to have written the best paper appearing in the ASSETS conference proceedings.
• SIGACCESS Best Student Paper Award: Presented to the individual(s) judged by an awards committee to have written the best paper appearing in the ASSETS conference proceedings. To be considered for the Best Student Paper Award, the student must be the first author.
• SIGACCESS Award for Outstanding Contributions to Computing and Accessibility:The award  recognizes individuals  who  have made significant and lasting contributions to the development of computing technologies which improve the accessibility of media and services to people with disabilities.The award includes a $1000 honorarium, an award certificate of  recognition, and  an invitation for the  recipient  to present a keynote talk at the ASSETS Conference. The award is presented every other year.
  
  

SIGACT – Algorithms and Computation Theory

• SIGACT Godel Prize: Awarded annually for an outstanding paper (or collection of papers) in the area of theoretical computer science that appeared in a journal during the previous fourteen years. The award includes a prize of $5,000. Sponsored jointly with the European Association for Theoretical Computer Science. Presented alternately at the ACM Symposium on Theory of Computing and the International Conference on Automata, Languages, and Programming.
• SIGACT Knuth Prize for Outstanding Contributions to the Foundations of Computer Science: Awarded every 18 months by ACM SIGACT and the IEEE Technical Committee on the Mathematical Foundations of Computing. The prize includes a $5,000 award and a $1,000 travel stipend for travel to the award ceremony. The prize is awarded for major research accomplishments and contributions to the foundations of computer science over an extended period of time. Prizes are awarded alternately at the ACM STOC and the IEEE Conference on Foundations of Computer Science.
• SIGACT Service Prize: Awarded biennially for outstanding contributions of a service nature to the SIGACT community. The prize includes $1,000 and a $500 travel allowance.
• SIGACT Danny Lewin Best Student Paper Award: Awarded annually for the best student paper presented at STOC. The award includes a prize of $500.
  
• SIGACT/SIGOPS Edsger W. Dijkstra Prize in Distributed Computing: Given at each PODC to an outstanding paper on the principles of distributed computing, whose significance and impact on the theory and/or practice of distributed computing has been evident for at least a decade. The winning authors will share a cash award of $1,000, and each will be presented with a plaque at the PODC business meeting.

SIGAda – Ada Programming Language

• SIGAda Outstanding Ada Community Contributions: Recognizes broad, lasting contributions to the overall state of Ada technology and usage.
• SIGAda Distinguished Service Award: Recognizes exceptional volunteer contributions to SIGAda activities and products.

SIGAPL – APL Programming Language

• SIGAPL Kenneth E. Iverson Award: For outstanding contributions to APL. The award includes a prize of $1,000.

SIGAPP – Applied Computing

• SIGAPP Distinguished Service Award: Given for outstanding service to the Annual Symposium on Applied Computing.
• SIGAPP Outstanding Service Award: Given for contributions to SIGAPP and SAC.

SIGARCH – Computer Architecture

• SIGARCH Maurice Wilkes Award: The award of $2,500 is given annually for an outstanding contribution to computer architecture made by an individual whose computer-related professional career (graduate school or full-time employment, whichever began first) started no earlier than January 1st of the year that is 20 years prior to the time of nomination. The award is presented annually at the International Symposium on Computer Architecture Awards Banquet.
• SIGARCH Eckert Mauchly Award: Administered jointly by ACM and IEEE Computer Society and presented at the ISCA conference. The award of $5000 is given for contributions to computer and digital systems architecture where the field of computer architecture is considered at present to encompass the combined hardware-software design and analysis of computing and digital systems.
• SIGARCH ISCA Influential Paper Award: The ACM SIGARCH and IEEE-CS TCCA ISCA Influential Paper Award will be presented annually at the International Symposium on Computer Architecture. This award recognizes the paper from the ISCA Proceedings 15 years earlier that has had the most impact on the field (in terms of research, development, products or ideas) during the intervening years. The award includes an honorarium of $1,000 for the author(s) and a certificate.

• SIGARCH Distinguished Service Award: This annual award is presented to an individual who has contributed important service to the computer architecture community.The award includes an engraved memento and a $1000 honorarium.

SIGART – Artificial Intelligence

• Annual Award for Excellence in Autonomous Agent Research: This award acknowledges the contributions of outstanding researchers in the field of autonomous agents, and will be granted each year to one individual whose work is influencing and setting the direction for the field. There is a $1,000 prize.

SIGBED – Embedded Systems

• SIGBED/SIGSOFT Frank Anger Award: The award provides stipends for two students, one named by each SIG, to attend the flagship conference of the other SIG. The award is meant to improve the mutual awareness of the two research communities to the opportunities and challenges emerging in complimentary research areas.

SIGCAS – Computers and Society

• SIGCAS Outstanding Service Award: Awarded annually to the SIGCAS member who has made a significant contribution to furthering the mission and viability of SIGCAS.
• SIGCAS Making a Difference Award: Awarded annually to an individual who is nationally or internationally recognized for promoting awareness of ethical and social impact issues related to computing and for providing leadership that encourages responsible action on the part of computer professionals.

SIGCHI – Computer-Human Interaction

• SIGCHI Academy: The CHI Academy is an honorary group of individuals who have made substantial contributions to the field of human-computer interaction. Selected annually, these are the principal leaders of the field, whose efforts have shaped the disciplines and led the research in human-computer interaction.
• SIGCHI Lifetime Achievement Award: Presented annually at the SIGCHI conference to recognize outstanding contributions to the study of computer human interaction, and includes a plaque and a $5,000 honorarium.
• SIGCHI Lifetime Service Award: This award goes to individuals who have contributed to the growth of SIGCHI in a variety of capacities. This award is for extended services to the community at large over a number of years. The award caries an honorarium of $525.
• SIGCHI Social Impact Award: This award is given to individuals who promote the application of human-computer interaction research to pressing social needs.

SIGCOMM – Data Communication

• SIGCOMM Award for Lifetime Achievement: Awarded annually since 1989 to an individual for lifetime achievement in and contributions to the field of data communications, and includes a prize of $2,000.
• SIGCOMM Test of Time Paper Award: This award recognizes a paper published 10 to 12 years in the past in Computer Communication Review or any SIGCOMM sponsored or co-sponsored conference that is deemed to be an outstanding paper whose contents are still a vibrant and useful contribution today.

SIGCSE – Computer Science Education

• SIGCSE Award for Outstanding Contributions to Computer Science Education: Awarded to honor a significant contribution to computer science education that has had a long lasting impact and made a significant difference in computing education, and includes a plaque and a prize of $1,000.
• SIGCSE Award for Lifetime Service: Awarded to honor a lifetime of volunteer service to computer science education, and includes a plaque and a prize of $1,000.

SIGDA – Design Automation

• SIGDA Outstanding Ph.D. Dissertation Award in Electronic Design Automation: Endowed by SIGDA, this Award is given annually to the author of an outstanding Ph.D. dissertation that makes the most substantial contribution to the theory and/or application in the field of electronic design automation.
• SIGDA IEEE/ACM William J. McCalla ICCAD Best Paper Award: Presented at ICCAD each November, this Award is jointly sponsored by ACM/SIGDA, IEEE/CASS, and IEEE/CS. Papers are selected by the ICCAD Program Committee through a rigorous and multi-stage review process. This Award is given in the memory of William J. McCalla, for his contributions to ICCAD and his CAD technical work throughout his career.
• SIGDA Outstanding New Faculty Award: The SIGDA Outstanding New Faculty Award recognizes a junior faculty member early in her or his academic career who demonstrates outstanding potential as an educator and/or researcher in the field of electronic design automation. The award is presented annually at the Design Automation Conference, and currently consists of a $1,000 award to the faculty member, along with a citation.

SIGDOC – Design of Communication

• SIGDOC Joseph T. Rigo Award: Recognizes an individual whose research, practical work, or authorship has had a significant impact on the field of documentation.
• SIGDOC Diana Award: Recognizes organizations that foster excellence in documentation.

SIGGRAPH – Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques

• SIGGRAPH Steven A. Coons Award: Given to an individual who has made a significant lasting contribution to the field of computer graphics, both directly and through others over an extended period of time, and includes a prize of $6,000. The award is given in odd numbered years.
• SIGGRAPH Computer Graphics Achievement Award: Given to recognize an individual for an outstanding achievement in computer graphics and interactive techniques. The award includes a prize of $2,000.
• SIGGRAPH Outstanding Service Award: Given in even-numbered years to recognize outstanding service to SIGGRAPH by a volunteer and recognizes persons who have given extraordinary service both in the trenches and in positions of more responsibility or visibility, over a significant period of time.
• SIGGRAPH Significant New Researcher Award: This annual award is given to a researcher who has made a recent significant contribution to the field of computer graphics and is new to the field. The intent is to recognize people very early in their careers who have already made a notable contribution and are likely to make more.

SIGIR – Information Retrieval

• SIGWEB/SIGIR Vannevar Bush Award: The Digital Library conference series offers an annual award for best paper at the DL conference called the ACM Vannevar Bush Award.
• SIGIR Gerard Salton Award: Presented every three years to honor significant, sustained and continuing contributions to research in information retrieval.
• SIGIR Best Paper Award: Presented to the individual(s) judged by an awards committee to have written the best paper appearing in the annual SIGIR conference proceedings. The award includes a prize of $1,000.
• SIGIR Best Student Paper Award: Presented to the author of the best paper written solely or primarily by a student appearing in the annual SIGIR conference proceedings. The award includes a prize of $1,000.

SIGKDD – Knowledge Discovery in Data

• SIGKDD Innovation Award: For outstanding and major technical contributions to the field of knowledge discovery in data and data mining that have had lasting impact in furthering the theory and/or development of commercial systems. The award includes a prize of $2,500.
• SIGKDD Services Award: For outstanding and major services contributions to the field of knowledge discovery in data and data mining that include such professional services as the running of professional societies and conferences, educating students and professionals, and funding R&D activities. The award includes a prize of $2,500.
• SIGKDD Doctoral Disseration Award: Awarded annually to recognize excellent research by doctoral candidates in the field of data mining and knowledge discovery. The award includes a plaque and $2,500.

SIGMETRICS – Measurement and Evaluation

• SIGMETRICS Achievement Award: For long-lasting influential contributions to the theory and/or practice of computer/communication system performance evaluation. The contributions may be theoretical advances that have influenced the techniques used to evaluate computer system performance, techniques and/or software tools that have been widely used to evaluate system performance, and/or innovative applications of performance evaluation techniques that have had impact on the design of significant computer/communication systems. The award includes a plaque, a $2000 award, as well as expenses for travel to the ACM SIGMETRICS annual conference, where the award is presented. The recipient is also invited to give a technical talk at the conference.
• Kenneth C. Sevcik Outstanding Student Paper Award: Awarded to an outstanding paper presented at the annual SIGMETRICS conference.
  
  
• SIGMETRICS Rising Star Researcher Award: This award recognizes a rising star in the community who demonstrates outstanding potential in research in the field of computer and communication performance.   The award, granted every other year, includes a plaque and travel honorarium for the SIGMETRICS conference.

SIGMIS – Management Information Systems

• SIGMIS Magid Igbaria Outstanding Conference Paper of the Year Award: Awarded to an outstanding paper presented at the Computer Personnel Research conference. The award includes a plaque and $500.

SIGMOBILE – Mobility of Systems, Users, Data and Computing

• SIGMOBILE Distinguished Service Award: Awarded on the basis of value and level of services to the Mobile Networking and Wireless Communications Community. The award recognizes contributions to ACM SIGMOBILE, its conferences, publications, or its local activities.
• SIGMOBILE Award for Outstanding Contributions to Research on Mobility of Systems, Users, Data and Computing: Recognizes an individual who has made a significant and lasting contribution to the research on mobile communications and wireless networking. The contribution can be a single event or a lifetime of achievement. The awards will be presented at one of ACM SIGMOBILE's conferences during the ensuing year.

SIGMOD – Management of Data

• SIGMOD Contribution Award: Given to recognize a significant contribution to the field of database systems through research funding, education, professional services, etc. The award includes a prize of $1,000.
• SIGMOD Edgar F. Codd Innovations Award: Given to honor a significant contribution to the field of database systems through research during the past ten years that has been reduced to practice and is in wide use. The award includes a prize of $1,000.
• SIGMOD Test of Time Award: Recognizes the best paper from the SIGMOD proceedings 10 years earlier, based on the criterion of identifying the paper that has had the most impact (research, products, etc.) over the intervening decade.

SIGOPS – Operating Systems

• SIGOPS Mark Weiser Award: Given annually to recognize creativity, innovation, and vision in Operating Systems research made by an individual whose computer-related career began no earlier than 20 years prior to the time of nomination. The award is named in honor of Mark Weiser who was known as a computing visionary, recognized for his research accomplishments during his career at Xerox PARC, and appreciated for his many contributions to the SIGOPS community. The award includes a prize of $1,000 and a framed certificate.
• SIGOPS Hall of Fame Award: The SIGOPS Hall of Fame Award was instituted in 2005 to recognize the most influential papers that have appeared in SOSP and OSDI conference proceedings at least 10 years in the past.
• SIGOPS PODC Edsger W. Dijkstra Prize in Distributed Computing: Named after distributed computing pioneer Edsger W. Dijsktra, the prize will be given at each PODC conference to an outstanding paper on the principles of distributed computing, whose significance and impact on the theory and/or practice of distributed computing has been evident for at least a decade. The winning authors will share a cash award of $1,000, and each will be presented with a plaque at PODC.

SIGPLAN – Programming Languages

• SIGPLAN Distinguished Service Award: Awarded on the basis of value and degree of service to the Programming Languages Community. The award recognizes contributions to ACM SIGPLAN, its conferences, publications, or its local activities, and includes a prize of $2,500.
• SIGPLAN Programming Languages Achievement Award: Given to recognize an individual who has made a significant and lasting contribution to the field of programming languages. The contribution can be a single event or a lifetime of achievement. The award includes a prize of $5,000.
• SIGPLAN Most Influential PLDI Paper Award: Presented to the author(s) of a paper presented at the PLDI Conference held ten years prior that has proved to be most influential in the intervening decade. The award includes a prize of $1,000.
• SIGPLAN Most Influential POPL Paper Award: Presented to the author(s) of a paper presented at the POPL Conference held ten years prior that has proved to be most influential in the intervening decade. The award includes a prize of $1,000.
• SIGPLAN Doctoral Dissertation Award: Presented annually to the author of the outstanding doctoral dissertation in the area of programming languages. The award includes a prize of $1,000.

SIGSAC – Security, Audit and Control

• SIGSAC Outstanding Innovation Award: Presented annually for outstanding and innovative technical contributions to the field of computer and communication security that have had lasting impact in furthering or understanding the theory and/or development of commercial systems. The award includes a prize of $1,000.
• SIGSAC Outstanding Contribution Award: Presented annually for significant contribution to the field of computer and communication security through fostering research and development activities, educating students, and such professional services as the running of professional societies and conferences. The award includes a prize of $1,000.

SIGSAM – Symbolic and Algebraic Manipulation

• Richard Jenks Award

SIGSOFT – Software Engineering

• SIGBED/SIGSOFT Frank Anger Award: The award provides stipends for two students, one named by each SIG, to attend the flagship conference of the other SIG. The award is meant to improve the mutual awareness of the two research communities to the opportunities and challenges emerging in complimentary research areas.
• SIGSOFT Distinguished Service Award: Presented annually at the International Conference on Software Engineering; it includes a plaque, all travel/conference expenses to attend ICSE, and a prize of $1,000.
• SIGSOFT Outstanding Research Award: Presented to an individual who has made significant and lasting research contributions to the theory or practice of software engineering. Recipients are given a plaque and a prize of $1,000.
• SIGSOFT/IEEE TCSE ICSE Most Influential Paper Award: This award recognizes the author(s) of the paper from the meeting of the International Conference on Software Engineering (ICSE) of 10 years earlier that is judged to have had the most influence on the theory or practice of software engineering since its original publication.

SIGUCCS – University and College Computing Services

• SIGUCCS Penny Crane Award: Given to those who provide significant and continuing service to SIGUCCS and our profession over a period of many years. The award includes an honorarium of $1,000.

SIGWEB – Hypertext, Hypermedia and the Web

• SIGWEB Douglas Engelbart Best Paper Award: Presented annually at the ACM SIGWEB Hypertext Conference to promote excellence in hypertext/hypermedia research and in the reporting of research results, and includes a prize of $1,000.
• SIGWEB/SIGIR Vannevar Bush Award: The Digital Library conference series offers an annual award for best paper at the DL conference called the ACM Vannevar Bush Award.
• SIGWEB Nelson Award: For the best newcomer paper presented at the annual ACM SIGWEB Hypertext Conference. Papers that are rated among the best papers overall and are written solely by authors who have never published in earlier Hypertext proceedings are eligible. The award is named after Theodor H. Nelson, in recognition of his numerous contributions to the field of hypertext and hypermedia over the past 35 years. The award carries a $1,000 cash prize.