Charles Stark Draper Prize

<h2 id="past-winners">Past winners</h2>
<ul><li>1989: <a href="/facts/Jack_Kilby/CCgmbccG">Jack S. Kilby</a> and <a href="/facts/Robert_Noyce/J77WDDld">Robert N. Noyce</a> for their independent development of the monolithic <a href="/facts/Integrated_circuit/fjn6vg7C">integrated circuit</a></li>
<li>1991: Sir <a href="/facts/Frank_Whittle/sQysmK64">Frank Whittle</a> and <a href="/facts/Hans_von_Ohain/M2TgMa7N">Hans von Ohain</a> for their independent development of the <a href="/facts/Jet_engine/CJjFpeqt">turbojet engine</a></li>
<li>1993: <a href="/facts/John_Backus/pqELHDh6">John Backus</a> for his development of <a href="/facts/FORTRAN/m1KqjcMU">FORTRAN</a>, the first widely used, general purpose, high-level computer language<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3">3</a></li>
<li>1995: <a href="/facts/John_R._Pierce/mq8bfrLb">John R. Pierce</a> and <a href="/facts/Harold_A._Rosen/0j9ntUYn">Harold A. Rosen</a> for their development of communication satellite technology</li>
<li>1997: <a href="/facts/Vladimir_Haensel/pglCCCpv">Vladimir Haensel</a> for his invention of "<a href="/facts/Catalytic_reforming/2ybErEUI">platforming</a>"</li>
<li>1999: <a href="/facts/Charles_K._Kao/b7qC2o2H">Charles K. Kao</a>, <a href="/facts/Robert_D._Maurer/duu7hPBV">Robert D. Maurer</a>, and <a href="/facts/John_B._MacChesney/7dh1V0wS">John B. MacChesney</a> for the development of <a href="/facts/Fiber_optics/5ruuIFbj">fiber optics</a></li>
<li>2001: <a href="/facts/Vinton_G._Cerf/lo7mnfHt">Vinton G. Cerf</a>, <a href="/facts/Robert_E._Kahn/wooNfB4v">Robert E. Kahn</a>, <a href="/facts/Leonard_Kleinrock/oj6b357M">Leonard Kleinrock</a>, and <a href="/facts/Lawrence_G._Roberts/WoY2CXUr">Lawrence G. Roberts</a> for the development of the <a href="/facts/Internet/Xw1rVvJU">Internet</a></li>
<li>2002: <a href="/facts/Robert_Langer/bzxwh1lY">Robert Langer</a> for the bioengineering of revolutionary medical <a href="/facts/Drug_delivery/vDfboXeT">drug delivery</a> systems<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4">4</a></li>
<li>2003: <a href="/facts/Ivan_A._Getting/EwLDbBF8">Ivan A. Getting</a> and <a href="/facts/Bradford_Parkinson/hehoUzWd">Bradford W. Parkinson</a> for their work developing the <a href="/facts/Global_Positioning_System/DKVLnzF3">Global Positioning System</a></li>
<li>2004: <a href="/facts/Alan_Kay/opDYqrcm">Alan C. Kay</a>, <a href="/facts/Butler_W._Lampson/PEU8LN9X">Butler W. Lampson</a>, <a href="/facts/Robert_Taylor_(computer_scientist)/VyTkFyta">Robert W. Taylor</a>, and <a href="/facts/Charles_P._Thacker/EAr800bP">Charles P. Thacker</a> for their work on <a href="/facts/Alto_(computer)/6pjFTD0A">Alto</a>, the first practical networked computer</li>
<li>2005: Minoru S. "Sam" Araki [de], Francis J. Madden [de], Edward A. Miller [de], <a href="/facts/James_W._Plummer/Xoa8Qks5">James W. Plummer</a>, and Don H. Schoessler [de] for the design, development, and operation of <a href="/facts/Corona_(satellite)/oBd9damh">Corona</a>, the first space-based Earth observation systems</li>
<li>2006: <a href="/facts/Willard_Boyle/Dryt56Lb">Willard S. Boyle</a> and <a href="/facts/George_E._Smith/754bKDcs">George E. Smith</a> for the invention of the <a href="/facts/Charge-coupled_device/l6xffIcz">charge-coupled device</a> (CCD), a light-sensitive component at the heart of <a href="/facts/Digital_camera/LSGTserm">digital cameras</a> and other widely used <a href="/facts/Imaging_technology/Lkw7V9M8">imaging technologies</a></li>
<li>2007: <a href="/facts/Tim_Berners-Lee/JRv21mt9">Tim Berners-Lee</a> for developing the World Wide Web<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5">5</a></li>
<li>2008: <a href="/facts/Rudolf_E._K%25C3%25A1lm%25C3%25A1n/SAoVkxs4">Rudolf E. Kálmán</a> for developing the <a href="/facts/Kalman_filter/wNK7rnbk">Kalman filter</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6">6</a></li>
<li>2009: <a href="/facts/Robert_H._Dennard/ehvGFrmD">Robert H. Dennard</a> for his invention and contributions to the development of <a href="/facts/Dynamic_random_access_memory/koI9FGo5">dynamic random access memory</a> (DRAM), used universally in computers and other data processing and communication systems<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7">7</a></li>
<li>2011: <a href="/facts/Frances_H._Arnold/xS0wtIY1">Frances H. Arnold</a> and <a href="/facts/Willem_P.C._Stemmer/WIAmCUDF">Willem P.C. Stemmer</a> for their individual contributions to <a href="/facts/Directed_evolution/DYJs0Hm2">directed evolution</a>, a process that allows researchers to guide the creation of certain properties in proteins and cells. This technique has been used in food ingredients, pharmaceuticals, <a href="/facts/Toxicology/L6XHRIJH">toxicology</a>, agricultural products, gene delivery systems, laundry aids, and <a href="/facts/Biofuel/RWu7b6Y3">biofuels</a></li>
<li>2012: <a href="/facts/George_H._Heilmeier/1rRhDUbv">George H. Heilmeier</a>, <a href="/facts/Wolfgang_Helfrich/6sxo0RHC">Wolfgang Helfrich</a>, <a href="/facts/Martin_Schadt/wg9y2YYr">Martin Schadt</a>, and <a href="/facts/T_Peter_Brody/juJIkKbw">T. Peter Brody</a> for their contributions to the development of <a href="/facts/Liquid_crystal_display/8B6xGBEz">liquid crystal display</a> (LCD) technologies</li>
<li>2013: <a href="/facts/Thomas_Haug/1Xf6CfT9">Thomas Haug</a>, <a href="/facts/Martin_Cooper_(inventor)/PGCKenCA">Martin Cooper</a>, <a href="/facts/Yoshihisa_Okumura/Jw3n16JI">Yoshihisa Okumura</a> (奥村 善久), <a href="/facts/Richard_H._Frenkiel/8IXy0I54">Richard H. Frenkiel</a>, and <a href="/facts/Joel_S._Engel/Wpl9BgXq">Joel S. Engel</a> – <a href="/facts/Mobile_phone/H3EcqD9h">mobile phone</a> pioneers who laid the groundwork for cellular telephone networks (GSM) and today's smartphone.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8">8</a></li>
<li>2014: <a href="/facts/John_Goodenough/sq24M85o">John Goodenough</a>, Yoshio Nishi [Wikidata] (西 美緒), <a href="/facts/Rachid_Yazami/Pxs5VdPd">Rachid Yazami</a> and <a href="/facts/Akira_Yoshino/T1AdMTtz">Akira Yoshino</a> (吉野 彰) – rechargeable battery pioneers who laid the groundwork for today's lithium-ion battery.</li>
<li>2015: <a href="/facts/Isamu_Akasaki/3l0gUyoh">Isamu Akasaki</a>, <a href="/facts/M._George_Craford/l2dRWk3K">M. George Craford</a>, <a href="/facts/Russell_Dupuis/gYgdhqn4">Russell Dupuis</a>, <a href="/facts/Nick_Holonyak%2c_Jr./9y6JoMJ9">Nick Holonyak, Jr.</a> and <a href="/facts/Shuji_Nakamura/no9rGS9M">Shuji Nakamura</a> for the invention, development, and commercialization of materials and processes for light-emitting diodes (LEDs).<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9">9</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10">10</a></li>
<li>2016: <a href="/facts/Andrew_J._Viterbi/4CtpIy97">Andrew J. Viterbi</a> for development of the Viterbi algorithm, its transformational impact on digital wireless communications, and its significant applications in <a href="/facts/Speech_recognition/z7S7Pgk6">speech recognition</a> and synthesis and in bioinformatics.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11">11</a></li>
<li>2018: <a href="/facts/Bjarne_Stroustrup/Be1Yq6rn">Bjarne Stroustrup</a> for conceptualizing and developing the C++ programming language.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12">12</a></li>
<li>2020: <a href="/facts/Jean_Fr%25C3%25A9chet/Yb18tbP1">Jean Fréchet</a> and <a href="/facts/C._Grant_Willson/YwPvaaVs">C. Grant Willson</a> for the invention, development, and commercialization of chemically amplified materials for micro- and nanofabrication, enabling the extreme miniaturization of microelectronic devices.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13">13</a></li>
<li>2022: <a href="/facts/Steve_Furber/Tr51Bqoa">Steve B. Furber</a>, <a href="/facts/John_L._Hennessy/sbfqPY9u">John L. Hennessy</a>, <a href="/facts/David_Patterson_(computer_scientist)/rAulJF6m">David A. Patterson</a> and <a href="/facts/Sophie_Wilson/9pkb5BXL">Sophie M. Wilson</a> for contributions to the invention, development, and implementation of reduced instruction set computer (RISC) chips.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14">14</a></li>
<li>2024: <a href="/facts/Stuart_Parkin/XsNkQBV6">Stuart Parkin</a> for engineering spintronic technologies, enabling digital information storage that serves as a foundation for today’s data-driven world.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:15" href="#fn:15">15</a></li></ul>
The NAE website shows that no Draper Prize was awarded in 2010, 2017, 2019 or 2021.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:16" href="#fn:16">16</a> Since the award is a biennial one, it was probably only given in even years beginning in 2016. The <a href="/facts/Russ_Prize/gmy3yBQy">Russ Prize</a>, also from the NAE, is awarded in odd years.

<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/List_of_engineering_awards/9WRHtSEn">List of engineering awards</a></li></ul>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1">Charles Stark Draper Prize – Home <a href="https://www.nae.edu/20681.aspx" target="_blank">https://www.nae.edu/20681.aspx</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:2">Charles Stark Draper Prize – Awards <a href="https://www.nae.edu/20681/DraperPrize" target="_blank">https://www.nae.edu/20681/DraperPrize</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:3">"John Backus". NAE Website. Retrieved 27 September 2018. <a href="https://nae.edu/Activities/Projects/Awards/DraperPrize/DraperWinners/page1993/55073.aspx" target="_blank">https://nae.edu/Activities/Projects/Awards/DraperPrize/DraperWinners/page1993/55073.aspx</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:4">"Dr. Robert Langer". NAE Website. Retrieved 27 September 2018. <a href="https://nae.edu/Activities/Projects/Awards/DraperPrize/DraperWinners/page2002/55035.aspx" target="_blank">https://nae.edu/Activities/Projects/Awards/DraperPrize/DraperWinners/page2002/55035.aspx</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:5">"Timothy J. Berners-Lee". NAE Website. Retrieved 27 September 2018. <a href="https://nae.edu/Activities/Projects/Awards/DraperPrize/DraperWinners/page2007/54979.aspx" target="_blank">https://nae.edu/Activities/Projects/Awards/DraperPrize/DraperWinners/page2007/54979.aspx</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:6">"Rudolf Kalman". NAE Website. Retrieved 27 September 2018. <a href="https://nae.edu/Activities/Projects/Awards/DraperPrize/DraperWinners/page2008/54973.aspx" target="_blank">https://nae.edu/Activities/Projects/Awards/DraperPrize/DraperWinners/page2008/54973.aspx</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:7">"Robert H. Dennard". NAE Website. Retrieved 27 September 2018. <a href="https://nae.edu/Activities/Projects/Awards/DraperPrize/DraperWinners/page20098972/54969.aspx" target="_blank">https://nae.edu/Activities/Projects/Awards/DraperPrize/DraperWinners/page20098972/54969.aspx</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:8">2015 Draper Prize – NAE Retrieved 2018-10-04. <a href="https://www.nae.edu/Activities/Projects/Awards/DraperPrize/DraperWinners/67245.aspx" target="_blank">https://www.nae.edu/Activities/Projects/Awards/DraperPrize/DraperWinners/67245.aspx</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:9">2015 Draper Prize Archived 2011-02-25 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 2014-01-07. <a href="http://www.draperprize.org/news.php#LEDPioneers" target="_blank">http://www.draperprize.org/news.php#LEDPioneers</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:10">2015 Draper Prize – NAE Retrieved 2015-01-07. <a href="https://www.nae.edu/Projects/Awards/DraperPrize/DraperWinners.aspx" target="_blank">https://www.nae.edu/Projects/Awards/DraperPrize/DraperWinners.aspx</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:11">2016 Draper Prize – NAE <a href="http://www.nae.edu/Projects/Awards/DraperPrize/DraperWinners/2016Draper.aspx" target="_blank">http://www.nae.edu/Projects/Awards/DraperPrize/DraperWinners/2016Draper.aspx</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:12">2018 Draper Prize – NAE <a href="https://www.nae.edu/Activities/Projects/Awards/DraperPrize/DraperWinners/2018Draper/177032.aspx" target="_blank">https://www.nae.edu/Activities/Projects/Awards/DraperPrize/DraperWinners/2018Draper/177032.aspx</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:13">2020 Draper Prize – NAE <a href="https://www.nae.edu/224065/Photoresist-Pioneers-Receive-the-2020-Charles-Stark-Draper-Prize-for-Engineering" target="_blank">https://www.nae.edu/224065/Photoresist-Pioneers-Receive-the-2020-Charles-Stark-Draper-Prize-for-Engineering</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:14">"Recipients of the Charles Stark Draper Prize for Engineering". <a href="https://www.nae.edu/55291/DraperWinners" target="_blank">https://www.nae.edu/55291/DraperWinners</a> <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:15">"Prof. Stuart Parkin awarded the prestigious Charles Stark Draper Prize for Engineering". www.mpi-halle.mpg.de. Retrieved 15 January 2024. <a href="https://www.mpi-halle.mpg.de/stuart-parkin-charles-stark-draper-prize2024" target="_blank">https://www.mpi-halle.mpg.de/stuart-parkin-charles-stark-draper-prize2024</a> <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:16">Previous Recipients <a href="https://www.nae.edu/Activities/Projects/Awards/DraperPrize/DraperWinners.aspx#tabs" target="_blank">https://www.nae.edu/Activities/Projects/Awards/DraperPrize/DraperWinners.aspx#tabs</a> <a href="#fnref:16" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
</ol>

Charles Stark Draper Prize open-in-new

Charles Stark Draper Prize