Washington Award

When and Where?

Engineers week will be February 14-20, 2010. The Washington Award Banquet will be Friday, February 19th, 2010 at the University Club of Chicago at 76 E. Monroe, Chicago. For more information, reservations, sponsorship information, contact the Western Society of Engineers at tim@wsechicago.org or at 630/ 724-9770, 241-0142 fax.

Washington Award Commission

John W. Alvord, a past president of the Western Society of Engineers, in 1916 created an honorary award to recognize the “devoted, unselfish, and preeminent service in advancing human progress.” It was named the Washington Award as a reminder that the nation’s first president was an engineer. The elected commission of the award is made up of representatives from Western Society and six other engineering societies. It is conferred annually upon an engineer whose professional attainments have advanced the welfare of all peoples.

Previous Honorees

The Washington Award is one of the country’s oldest and most prestigious engineering awards in the country. The list of recipients speaks for itself. A few of the honorees from 1919-2005 include:

• Herbert Hoover, 1919
• Orville Wright, 1927
• Charles F. Kettering, 1936
• Henry Ford, 1944
• Lillian Moller Gilbreth, 1954
• H.G. Rickover, 1970
• Dixy Lee Ray, 1978
• Neil Armstrong, 1980
• Stephen D. Bechtel, 1985
• John H. Sununu, 1990
• Wilson Greatbatch, 1996
• Donna Lee Shirley, 2000
• Dan Bricklin, 2001
• Bob Frankston, 2001
• Eugene Cernan, 2003
• Nick Holonyak, 2004
• Robert S. Langer, 2005
• Henry Petroski, 2006
• Michael J. Brick, 2007
• Dean Kamen, 2008
• Clyde Baker, 2009

Administrator of Commission

The Western Society of Engineers, a multi-discipline engineering society serving engineers and firms that employ engineers in the Chicagoland area, administers the Washington Award. WSE was founded in 1869, when Chicago was the country’s western frontier.

The Western Society of Engineers is a multi-discipline engineering society, whose purpose is to actively encourage the development of engineering leaders and promote engineering excellence and innovation; educate the general public regarding the practice of engineering; recognize the achievements of the member engineers; and promote high professional and ethical standards.

About our 2009 Washington Award Recipient

Dr Alvy Ray Smith: Cofounded or was present at the beginning of four centers of computer graphics excellence: Altamira, Pixar , Lucasfilm, New York Tech. Then joined Microsoft as its first Graphics Fellow, before resigning in 1999. Received two technical Academy Awards for alpha channel concept and for digital paint systems. Invented, directed, originated, or otherwise instrumental in the following developments: first full-color paint program, HSV color model, alpha channel and image sprites, Genesis Demo in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, first Academy-Award winning computer-generated short Tin Toy, first computer-generated film Toy Story, Academy-Award winning Disney animation production system CAPS, and the Visible Human Project.

Was a star witness in a trial that successfully invalidated five patents that had been plaguing the digital imaging business.

Writes and speaks extensively. Served on the Microsoft Art Committee. Has PhD from Stanford University and honorary doctorate from New Mexico State University. Is a member of the National Academy of Engineering. Retired in 2000 to devote time to the emerging artform of digital photography and to scholarly genealogy, to which he has contributed two books and several learned journal papers. He is Trustee Emeritus of the New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston.

For More information

Contact Tim Seeden at (630) 724-9770 or tim@wsechicago.org to purchase tickets and reserve your space. Or direct questions or ticket orders to: Chicagoland Engineers Week Committee, c/o Western Society of Engineers, 1111 Burlington Avenue, Suite. 102, Lisle, IL 60532-1290.

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