Charles Stark Draper Prize
The Charles Stark Draper Prize is administered by the U.S. National Academy of Engineering to honor work that advances engineering and educates the public about engineering. Established in 1989 and named for MIT professor Charles Stark Draper, the “father of inertial navigation,” the prize was first awarded to Jack Kilby and Robert Noyce. Laureates are recognized for innovative engineering technologies, systems, or theoretical developments, and receive a $500,000 cash award. The Draper Prize is considered alongside the Russ Prize and Gordon Prize as one of the “Nobel Prizes of Engineering.” Recipients are selected by committees of the Academy and may include individuals or small teams from around the world. Award ceremonies are held during the Academy’s annual meeting.
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Laureates
1989
First awarded
Biennial
Announcement
National Academy of Engineering
Presented by
Awards by year
Advancement of engineering and educating the public about engineering
History
The prize was first awarded in 1989 to Jack Kilby and Robert Noyce. Initially presented biennially, it continued on a two-year cycle through the early 1990s. From 2002 to 2009 it was awarded annually, with no prize given in 2010. It resumed annual awards from 2011 to 2015, then shifted to a biennial schedule from 2016 onward. No awards were made in 2017, 2019, or 2021. The most recent Laureate was Stuart Parkin in 2024.
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1989