Award/Recognition Menu

Description

The Pioneer Award has been given annually since 1949 to an individual or team for “contributions significant to bringing into being systems that are still in existence today.” These systems fall within the specific areas of interest to the society, that is, electronic or aerospace systems. The contributions for which the award is bestowed are to have been made at least 20 years prior to the year of the award, to ensure proper historical perspective. It is not a condition that any awardees should have been sole or original inventor or developer, “significant contribution” of a specific nature is the key criterion.

Prize

$3,000 honorarium (shared equally between multiple winners) and a plaque for each winner.

Travel expenses of up to $1,000 per individual (up to a maximum of $1,500 for multiple awards) may be authorized by the AESS President.

Funding

Funded by the IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems Society

Presentation

At a convenient IEEE AESS conference

Eligibility

The candidate does not have to be an IEEE AESS member, but given everything else being equal, a member will be given preferential consideration.

Nomination Deadline
1 December
Nomination Form
Application Details

For questions, please contact the VP Awards.

2023

Recipient(s)
Country
DEU
Affiliation
Fraunhofer FHR
IEEE Region
Region 8 (Africa, Europe, Middle East)
Email
Citation

For seminal pioneering contributions to multichannel Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR)

2022

Recipient(s)
Country
NLD
Title

Henk Blom

Affiliation
Delft University of Technology
IEEE Region
Region 8 (Africa, Europe, Middle East)
Citation

For development of the Interacting Multiple Model (IMM) approach to multi-model estimation and maneuvering target tracking.

2021

Recipient(s)
Country
USA
Affiliation
Syracuse University
IEEE Region
Region 1 (Northeastern U.S.)
Email
Citation

For contributions to signal processing and information fusion enabling advanced aerospace and electronic systems

2020

Recipient(s)
Country
ITA
Affiliation
Retired
IEEE Region
Region 8 (Africa, Europe, Middle East)
Email
Citation

For pioneering contributions to the analysis, design, development, and experimentation of digital-based adaptive radar systems.

2019

Recipient(s)
Country
USA
Affiliation
University of Southern California
IEEE Region
Region 6 (Western U.S.)
Citation

For contributions to advanced simulation-based training and intelligent decision aiding for aerospace systems

2018

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Contributions to the Technology and Implementation of the GPS Civilian Navigation System

2017

Recipient(s)
Citation

Modeling, Simulation Analysis, Design of a Real-Time Expert System Constant False and Alarm Rate (CFAR)

Recipient(s)
Country
USA
Affiliation
Capraro Technologies, Inc.
IEEE Region
Region 1 (Northeastern U.S.)
Email
Citation

Modeling, Simulation Analysis, Design of a Real-Time Expert System Constant False and Alarm Rate (CFAR)

2016

Recipient(s)
Country
USA
Affiliation
University of Dayton
IEEE Region
Region 1 (Northeastern U.S.)
Email
Citation

Algorithm Development, Experimental Demonstration, and Transition of Expert System Constant False Alarm Rate (CFAR) to Airborne Radar Systems

Recipient(s)
Citation

Algorithm Development, Experimental Demonstration, and Transition of Expert System Constant False Alarm Rate (CFAR) to Airborne Radar Systems

2015

Recipient(s)
Citation

Founding Contributions to Modern Radio Physics and Statistical Antenna Theory (SAT)

2014

Recipient(s)
Citation

For contributions in the development and deployment of the Very High Speed Integrated Circuits Hardware Description Language (VHDL)

2013

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Enabling NASA’s Deep Space Communications and Radar Imaging System via Ultra-Stable Frequency/Timing Fiber Optic Transfer

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Enabling NASA’s Deep Space Communications and Radar Imaging System via Ultra-Stable Frequency/Timing Fiber Optic Transfer

2012

Recipient(s)
Country
USA
Affiliation
UCLA
IEEE Region
Region 6 (Western U.S.)
Citation

For Seminal and Pioneering Contributions to the Development and Commercialization of Aerospace Electronic Systems.

2011

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Pioneering Work in the Field of Aircraft/Missile Launch Systems

2010

Recipient(s)
Country
USA
Affiliation
Northrop Grumman Corporation
IEEE Region
Region 6 (Western U.S.)
Email
Citation

For Pioneering Contributions to the Development of Strapdown Inertial Instruments

2009

Recipient(s)
Citation

For the independent discovery of matched filtering, adaptive filtering, and high-resolution pulse compression for an entire generation of Russian and Ukranian radars

2008

Recipient(s)
Citation

For development of Commercial and Broadcast Satellites Over the Past 40 Years.

2007

Recipient(s)
Citation

For the original development of monopulse techniques for radar systems

2006

Recipient(s)
Citation

For developing the fundamental concepts, system designs, and basic technology underpinning the design, development, testing, and fielding of the U.S. Army Firefinder family of radars

2005

Recipient(s)
Citation

For the invention of the Moving Target Detector (MTD) digital signal processor for aircraft surveillance radar

2004

Recipient(s)
Citation

For development of MIL-STD-1553: Multiplexed Data Bus Avionic Intra-System Communication Standard.

2003

Recipient(s)
Recipient(s)
Recipient(s)

2002

Recipient(s)

2000

Recipient(s)

1998

Recipient(s)
Recipient(s)

1995

Recipient(s)
Recipient(s)

1994

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Global Positioning System (GPS)

1993

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Stealth technology

1992

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Laser systems

1991

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Airborne moving-target radars

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Airborne moving-target radars

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Airborne moving-target radars

1990

Recipient(s)
Citation

For The Whirlwind computer

Recipient(s)
Citation

For The Whirlwind computer

1989

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Microwave landing systems

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Microwave landing systems

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Microwave landing systems

1988

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Radar pulse compression

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Radar pulse compression

1987

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Weather satellite automatic picture transmission

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Weather satellite automatic picture transmission

1986

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Transit satellite navigation

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Transit satellite navigation

Recipient(s)
Citation

For  Transit satellite navigation

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Transit satellite navigation

1985

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Synthetic aperture radar

1984

Recipient(s)
Citation

For High-repetition-rate airborne pulse-doppler radar

Recipient(s)
Citation

For High-repetition-rate airborne pulse-doppler radar

Recipient(s)
Citation

For High-repetition-rate airborne pulse-doppler radar

1983

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Voice and data radio communications and electronics

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Voice and data radio communications and electronics

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Voice and data radio communications and electronics

1982

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Voice and data radio communications and electronics

1981

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Spread-spectrum communications

Recipient(s)
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For Spread-spectrum communications

Recipient(s)
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For Spread-spectrum communications

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Spread-spectrum communications

1980

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Distance measuring equipment

1979

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Pilotless aircraft

1978

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Inertial technology

1977

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Monostatic radar

1976

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Zero reader flight display

1975

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Microwave radar

1974

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Precision omnidirectional microwave beacons

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Precision omnidirectional microwave beacons

1973

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Air traffic control secondary radar

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Secondary radar system development

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Secondary radar beacon design

1972

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Time-division multiplex telemetry

1971

Recipient(s)
Citation

For LORAN-C navigation

Recipient(s)
Citation

For LORAN-C navigation

1970

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Doppler VOR

1969

Recipient(s)
Citation

For DECCA (hyperbolic) navigation

Recipient(s)
Citation

For DECCA (hyperbolic) navigation

1968

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Aircraft ground speed using doppler

1967

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Frequency modulated radio altimeters

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Frequency modulated radio altimeters

1966

Recipient(s)
Citation

For The radio range (circa 1907)

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Hyperbolic radio navigation

1965

Recipient(s)
Citation

For VOR & ILS navigation antennas; the Alford Loop

1964

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Sonne (Consol) and other instrument landing systems (ILS)

1963

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Aircraft approach and landing radar

1962

Recipient(s)
Citation

For VHF omni-range (VOR)

1961

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Radio navigation systems: Loran, Skywave, RaduX, Omega

1960

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Aircraft approach and landing electronics

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Visual “L–R” radio compass

1959

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Aircraft automatic radio direction finding

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Aircraft automatic radio direction finding

1958

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Arctic, Antarctic and transatlantic flight radio communication

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Four-course radio range beacon

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Four-course radio range beacon

1957

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Directional properties of radio transmission and reception (circa 1905)

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Direction finding, altimetry, ignition shielding, and radar

1956

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Automatic phase comparison direction finding

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Ground and airborne radio equipments

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Radio aids to navigation; radio range; direction finding; instrumented low approach

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Radio direction finding (circa 1900)

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Development facilities for aircraft communications, navigation and traffic control including AACS

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Airborne antennas and radio range systems

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Development facilities for aircraft communications, navigation, and traffic control including AACS

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Marine radio direction finding; radio compass

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Two-way voice radio for aircraft

1955

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Wave propagation to/from aircraft; the Kolster localizer system

1954

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Replacement of radio batteries by AC; radio aids to marine and air navigation; and blind landing system (today’s ILS)

1953

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Radio direction finding for aircraft and the omnidirectional range

1952

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Use of (radio) waves for detection of ship traffic (circa 1922)

1951

Recipient(s)
Citation

For “Highways in the Sky”—The forerunner of today’s ATC

1950

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Electronic Countermeasures

1949

Recipient(s)
Citation

For Leadership in the development of aircraft electronics