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2026 Technical Excellence Awards

Shaping the Future of RAS: Celebrating Technical Excellence

Please complete our short form below to submit your nomination for the 2026 Technical Excellence Awards.

We are accepting nominations in three categories:

Recognising the Special Interest Group whose initiatives, activities, and community engagement have significantly strengthened knowledge‑sharing and professional development across the RAS technical community.

Nominations should demonstrate how the SIG has strengthened knowledge‑sharing and professional development across the RAS technical community through impactful initiatives, inclusive engagement, and innovative activities. This includes evidence of meaningful outcomes, sustained contributions, and commitment to supporting skill development, collaboration, and community participation.

Celebrating an individual who has significantly contributed to cross‑group collaboration, knowledge‑sharing, or community building within any of the SIGs.

Nominations should highlight how the individual has significantly advanced cross‑group collaboration, knowledge‑sharing, or community building within the SIGs. This may include examples of facilitating joint initiatives, enabling shared learning, fostering inclusive participation, proactively driving ideas forward, and positively influencing or supporting others within the community.

Recognising an RTP who demonstrates leadership potential, initiative, and commitment to advancing their specialism or the wider community.

Nominations should show how the RTP demonstrates emerging leadership potential, initiative, and a commitment to advancing their specialism or the wider community. This can include examples of proactive problem‑solving, contributions to service or technical development, community engagement, mentorship or support of peers, and clear evidence of positive impact or influence.

Nomination Form

Nomination Form
Nominee

Your Details

Nominee Details

Nomination

Category
Please provide no more than 250 words detailing why your nominee should win the chosen category. Supporting statements can be added.
Outstanding Special Interest Group Award: Recognising the Special Interest Group whose initiatives, activities, and community engagement have significantly strengthened knowledge‑sharing and professional development across the RAS technical community.

Nominations should demonstrate how the SIG has strengthened knowledge‑sharing and professional development across the RAS technical community through impactful initiatives, inclusive engagement, and innovative activities. This includes evidence of meaningful outcomes, sustained contributions, and commitment to supporting skill development, collaboration, and community participation.

STEPS SIG Collaboration Champion Award: Celebrating an individual who has significantly contributed to cross‑group collaboration, knowledge‑sharing, or community building within any of the SIGs.

Nominations should highlight how the individual has significantly advanced cross‑group collaboration, knowledge‑sharing, or community building within the SIGs. This may include examples of facilitating joint initiatives, enabling shared learning, fostering inclusive participation, proactively driving ideas forward, and positively influencing or supporting others within the community.

STEPS Emerging Leader in Research Technology Award: Recognising an RTP who demonstrates leadership potential, initiative, and commitment to advancing their specialism or the wider community.

Nominations should show how the RTP demonstrates emerging leadership potential, initiative, and a commitment to advancing their specialism or the wider community. This can include examples of proactive problem‑solving, contributions to service or technical development, community engagement, mentorship or support of peers, and clear evidence of positive impact or influence.

0 of 250 max words

Maximum file size: 33.55MB

A supporting statement can be provided by anyone who works with the nominee, such as a project manager, academic PI, or a colleague.
 
When writing a supporting statement, focus on the following key points:
  • Achievements: Briefly describe the nominee’s key contributions to robotics, such as technical innovations or engineering solutions.
  • Excellence: Highlight how they’ve demonstrated technical expertise and leadership in RAS.
  • Collaboration: For the Innovative Teamwork category, explain how the nominee contributed to successful teamwork or cross-industry collaboration.
  • Impact: For the Transformative Robotics Impact category, show how their work has positively impacted the industry or society.
  • Skills and Innovation: Highlight key technical skills, innovations, or methodologies they’ve applied in their work.
  • Contribution to the Field: Mention any mentoring or involvement in the RAS community, such as workshops or conferences.
  • Personal Qualities: Note the nominee’s passion, dedication, and resilience in advancing RAS.
Use specific examples to support your claims and demonstrate why the nominee deserves recognition.