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www.nsbe.org
THE 4th
CELESTIAL
TORCH
AWARDS
Honoring the Best &
Brightest in Aerospace
at the NSBE Aerospace Systems Conference
Saturday, August 27, 2016
Arlington, Virginia
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS DEADLINE: MAY 31, 2016
THE NATIONAL SOCIETY OF BLACK ENGINEERS
Celestial Torch Awards
Honoring the Best and Brightest in Aerospace
at the 4th NSBE Aerospace Systems Conference
Saturday, August 27, 2016
Arlington, Virginia
The National Society of Black Engineers is the premier organization serving African
Americans in engineering and technology. As a technical and community service
association, NSBE is the link between the African American community and the world of
technology. NSBE supports and promotes the aspirations of professionals, students and
pre-college students. The mission the founders set forth in 1975, “To increase the
number of culturally responsible Black engineers who excel academically, succeed
professionally and positively impact the community, “ has blossomed into a national
organization with over 35,000 student, professional and pre-college members in over
430 chapters nationwide and overseas.
The biannual Celestial Torch Awards recognizes the accomplishments of distinguished
African American engineers and scientists in the aerospace industry. NSBE’s first
industry-specific recognition event, the Celestial Torch Awards serves as a complement
to NSBE’s highest awards, the Golden Torch Awards, which are presented at NSBE’s
Annual Conventions. The Celestial Torch Awards will be held at the conclusion of the
NSBE Aerospace Systems Banquet and immediately prior to the Aero and Astro Ball on
Saturday, August 27, 2016. At the 2010 conference, Celestial Torch Award recipients
were introduced and presented by African American actors from the Star Trek franchise,
including Nichelle Nichols, LeVar Burton, Penny Johnson, Timothy Russ, and Anthony
Montgomery.
Benefits of Nominating
Join NSBE as its membership celebrates the best and brightest among the many talented
professionals in the aerospace community. Engineers, scientists, and technologists,
directors and managers, academicians and other individuals should submit nominations
for Celestial Torch Awards (Self-nominations are welcomed with appropriate letters of
recommendation).
Nominations can:
 Highlight individual achievement
 Encourage employee retention
 Create internal role models
 Celebrate diversity in the workplace
AEROSPACE 2016
THE NATIONAL SOCIETY OF BLACK ENGINEERS
Celestial Torch Awards
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Enhance professional credentials
Publicize corporate success
Highlight achievements and recognize dedication to both the aerospace profession and
the African American community by nominating colleagues, co-workers and/or
associates for Celestial Torch Awards. These nominees will serve as role models that set
the benchmark for which we should strive to achieve.
WINNERS MUST BE ABLE TO ATTEND THE AWARDS CEREMONY IN ARLINGTON, VA IN
ORDER TO RECEIVE THE AWARD.
The NSBE Torch symbolizes our everlasting, burning desire to achieve success in a
competitive society and affect positive change in the quality of life for all people. Help
us pass on the Torch and nominate someone special for the NSBE Celestial Torch
Awards!
The following awards are given to individuals that best exemplify the ideals of NSBE as
reflected in our mission:
Distinguished Engineer in Aerospace
This is the highest award of the Aerospace Systems Conference. Based on a career of
outstanding achievements in the aerospace industry and exceptional leadership, the
recipient must meet the following criteria:
 Must demonstrate a significant impact on expansion of the industry
 Must demonstrate receipt of industry awards and accolades
 Must demonstrate social/community contributions
 Must demonstrate activities towards the NSBE mission
 Must hold a management level position
 Must have a masters degree or higher
 Must have demonstrable accomplishments in engineering and the sciences
AEROSPACE 2016
THE NATIONAL SOCIETY OF BLACK ENGINEERS
Celestial Torch Awards
Lifetime Achievement in Aerospace
This is awarded to a seasoned aerospace professional who has exhibited technical
excellence, leadership, and made significant career contributions to his or her specific
field over several years. The recipient must meet the following criteria:
 Must hold a management level position
 Must demonstrate significant impact on expanding the industry or on technical
curriculum over several years
 Must have at least 15 years of significant contribution to the engineering profession
or academic engineering development
 Must demonstrate publications/lectures/conference contributions
 Must demonstrate social/community contributions
 Must demonstrate activities towards the NSBE mission
 Must have a masters degree or higher
Aerospace Pioneer of the Year
This is awarded to an aerospace professional who has made distinguished contributions
to the aerospace profession via innovation, product development, etc. The recipient
must meet the following criteria:
 Must have demonstrated created/introduced new innovations in aerospace
 Must provide copies of printed articles in the field of technology
 Must demonstrate significant impact innovation has had on expanding industry
 Must demonstrate social contribution made by individual
 Must demonstrate activities towards the NSBE mission
Outstanding Woman in Aerospace
This is awarded to a female aerospace professional in recognition of a career of
exceptional accomplishments in aerospace and demonstrated leadership. The recipient
must meet the following criteria:
 Must demonstrate exemplified leadership and a pioneering spirit in her technical field
 Must demonstrate contribution to increasing the number of women in aerospace
 Must demonstrate level of achievement in technology
 Must demonstrate activities towards the NSBE mission
 Must hold a management level position
 Must have a masters degree or higher
Aerospace Entrepreneur of the Year
This is awarded for outstanding achievement in entrepreneurship. Nominees must own
a majority percentage of a thriving engineering or technical company with a major line
AEROSPACE 2016
THE NATIONAL SOCIETY OF BLACK ENGINEERS
Celestial Torch Awards
of business in the aerospace industry that demonstrates strong financial performance.
Financial report or annual report required with submission. The recipient must meet
the following criteria:
 Must demonstrate impact of product or service on the community
 Must prove ownership/principal interest
 Must provide net revenue
 Must provide the percentage of employees who are African-American
 Must demonstrate activities towards the NSBE mission
Aerospace Technologist of the Year
This award recognizes a NSBE Professionals member who has demonstrated significant
scientific or engineering achievement in aerospace. Moreover, this individual shall have
shown leadership in the NSBE organization, made outstanding contributions in support
of the NSBE mission, and demonstrated impact on our society as a whole. The recipient
must meet the following criteria:
 Nationally paid NSBE Professionals member
 Significant professional aerospace scientific or engineering technical responsibility
 Significant technical contribution to the aerospace industry
 Significant technical contribution to a Space SIG technical project or other NSBE
aerospace technical endeavor
 Advancement of the NSBE mission
Outstanding Young Engineer in Aerospace
This award recognizes aerospace technical achievements by professionals 35 years of
age or younger. The individual must also have shown leadership in NSBE Professionals.
The recipient must meet the following criteria:
 Nationally paid NSBE Professionals member
 Professional aerospace scientific or engineering achievement
 NSBE Professionals aerospace technical activity
 Performance in a NSBE Professionals leadership role (national, SIG, regional, or
chapter level)
 Advancement of the NSBE mission
Nomination Guidelines
NSBE reserves the right to consider submissions for awards in other categories.
Submissions become the property of NSBE and are not returnable. Multiple nominations
are welcome. Complete packages must be received by May 31, 2016 to be considered.
Winners will be selected and notified by June 30, 2016. Winning an award requires the
AEROSPACE 2016
THE NATIONAL SOCIETY OF BLACK ENGINEERS
Celestial Torch Awards
ability to attend the Celestial Torch Awards ceremony on August 27, 2016 in Arlington,
Virginia.
NOTE: Please follow instructions carefully. Items listed are mandatory and judges may
disqualify the nomination packet if the nominee does not meet the required criteria or if
the packet is incomplete.
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Must send electronic copy of the entire nomination package and cover letter.
Printed packages will not be considered. Packages too large in size for email (>
10 MB) should be reduced in size prior to submission.
Nomination Application Form: Must be completed & submitted with package.
Cover Letter: Must clearly state why the candidate should win a NSBE Celestial
Torch Award.
Resume/Curriculum Vitae: History of professional responsibilities, educational
degrees, etc.
Letters of Recommendation (at least 3): Support from a high ranking official, top
level manager, direct supervisor, human resource professional, experienced
colleague, or noted authority in the engineering/technical community.
Accomplishments: Awards, published books and/or papers, patents,
organizational memberships, leadership roles, publicity, volunteer work.
Photographs: A full color Headshot is required in jpg, gif, or other popular or
widely used graphics file format. Do not embed the picture in a document. It
must be sent as a separate file. The picture filename must include the initials or
name of the nominee. Digital pictures MUST be at least 300 DPI at a size of 4” x
6” or greater. PHOTOS ARE NOT RETURNED.
AEROSPACE 2016
THE NATIONAL SOCIETY OF BLACK ENGINEERS
Celestial Torch Awards
NOMINATION APPLICATION FORM
Application Deadline: May 31, 2016
Multiple nominations are welcomed
Award Category
Nominator’s Name
Title
Company
City
Phone
e-mail
Nominee’s Name
Home Address
City
Phone
Company
Title
Company Address
City
Phone
e-mail
State
Zip
State
Zip
State
Zip
Please complete form, supporting documentation, zip, and email to: celestial-torch@asc.nsbespace.org. Questions about nominations and awards may be sent to the same location.
Packets must be received electronically by May 31, 2016 - NO EXCEPTIONS
Winners will be notified by June 30, 2016
Incomplete packets may be disqualified, please review criteria carefully.
Winners must be able to attend Celestial Torch Awards Ceremony in Arlington, Virginia
on August 27, 2016.
AEROSPACE 2016