THE CONSTELLATION PRIZE
reimagining what engineering is for
THE NOMINATION WINDOW FOR 2025-2026 IS NOW OPEN THROUGH DECEMBER 7, 2025.
Click here to access the nomination form!
Who and what are we recognizing?
Engineers or teams of engineers in the US who have used their engineering training to promote social justice, human rights, peace, and/or environmental protection within the US, no matter how unglamorous that work is.
While we recognize that engineers are performing remarkable work all over the world, the goal of the Constellation Prize in its current form is to highlight work performed within the United States.
Additional Criteria:
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Nominations of collaborations and teams that include non-engineers, including community members, are welcome as long as the team includes at least one engineer.
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Engineers must hold an engineering degree and/or do work directly related to engineering.
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The engineers do not need to be professional/licensed engineers, and can be engineers from academia, non-profits, government, industry, small business, or civil society.
The engineers do not need to be professional/licensed engineers, and can be engineers from academia, non-profits, government, industry, small business, or civil society. Self-nominations are allowed.
What is the award in 2025-2026?
We are still in start-up mode, and thus, we offer goodwill and engagement with you. We will connect awardees with our networks, help share their stories through multimedia and communication efforts, and intentionally and thoroughly document their work so that it may serve as inspiration to others. As time progresses, the award will evolve, and while we start this award with a focus on work in the US, that may change in the future, too. We have no set number of awards. All winners will join the Constellation Prize Community of Practice (see below), which is a space of support and growth of these efforts.
We have no financial backing or funding for this award, apart from small donations we have received from well-wishers. Any and all efforts we undertake are without any financial interests.
Our Vision: The Constellation Prize Community of Practice
In addition to using the Constellation Prize to recognize and celebrate engineers and collaborative efforts that are reimagining the role of engineering in society, it is our vision to establish and sustain a community of practice that is actively contributing to social justice, human rights, peace, and environmental protection through engineering. We believe this community can become a beacon of motivation and opportunity for practicing engineers, academics, students, and community leaders.
What is the nomination process in 2025-2026?
Nominations can come from anywhere in the world, recognizing engineers and collaborative efforts in the US. Self-nominations will be accepted. You may nominate an engineer and/or a collaborative effort that demonstrates how engineering can be done to promote new modes of engagement, research, development, and design that elevate the values of environmental protection, social justice, human rights, and peace.
Below are the prompts in the nomination form:
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What has this engineer, collaboration, and/or team demonstrated or achieved that serves as a model for creating an engineering profession that values environmental protection, social justice, human rights, and/or peace?
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How has engineering shaped the outcomes and impact of the work?
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What challenging constraints has the engineer, collaboration, and/or team operated in?
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In what ways were the voices of impacted communities allowed to shape the goals and/or implementation of this work? (The selection committee recognizes that there are many ways in which this can happen.)
Timeline
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Nominations accepted through no later than December 7, 2025
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Winner(s) announced in early 2026