The application/nomination process for the UC Tech Awards program, open to all staff and faculty, is now open through Friday, February 14, at 5 p.m. The teams who submit by Monday, February 10, will be entered into a drawing for a unique opportunity/prize TBD. The program committee encourages applicants from past years to consider applying again (many winners from recent years had applied one time before winning the subsequent year). Get started on the application today by downloading, and completing, the application form.
The CIO Council looks forward to reviewing all applications and selecting a golden and silver winner for each of eight (8) categories, including a new, “Responsible AI” award, listed below. Winners of the 2025 UC Tech Awards Program will be announced at the UC Tech Conference* at UC Riverside on Thursday, June 26. Learn more by attending an upcoming UC Tech Awards Program webinar (see webinar dates below) and by reviewing the information in this notice.
2025 UC Tech Awards timeline
- Friday, January 10, 2025, applications form available. ~Friday, January 24, application portal will open to allow participants to upload their application.
- Friday, February 14, 2025, 5 p.m. – Final deadline to submit applications. However, participants who submit their application by Monday, February 10, 2025, 5 p.m. will be entered into a drawing for a special team/individual opportunity, to be announced shortly.
- ~Monday, March 17, 2025 – Judging results delivered to all applicants.
- Thursday, June 26, 2025 – Winners announced at the UC Tech Awards Program ceremony and dinner at the UC Tech Conference.* All applications, whether winners or not, will have their application published online via a press release which will be issued the next day.
Overview of the UC Tech Awards Program
The UC Tech Awards Program celebrates individuals and teams in the UC tech community who have contributed to areas of strategic importance to the university. The CIO Council created the program in 2001 when an innovation award was named after Larry L. Sautter. The program has grown to eight (8) awards ranging from design, IT security to diversity, equity and inclusion and Responsible AI initiatives. Learn more about the 2024 UC Tech Awards Program winners, and see all nominations.
The UC CIO Council awards a golden and silver winner for each of the following award categories. Awards are provided to individuals or teams based on the complexity, impact, and mission alignment of their work.
Benefits of participating
- All applicants will have their application read by CIO’s
- All applicants will be invited to participate in networking events to meet colleagues and others interested in their work
- All applicants will have their application/nomination published online
- Winners will attend the UC Tech Awards ceremony
- Winners will receive professional awards ceremony photos
- Winnering nominations will be prioritized for publication in the UC Tech News
- And more
How to apply or nominate a colleague
To apply or nominate a colleague or team for the UC Tech Awards Program, you will need to follow a 2-step process, as follows.
- Please download the application form in Word. and complete it offline.
- Once the submission portal is open (it will open ~January 24), you will be asked to complete an online form and upload your application by Friday, February 14 at 5 p.m. (or Monday, February 10, for the opportunity to be entered in a drawing.)
If possible, we recommend that you contact the UC Tech Ambassadors or a communications lead for your location to talk through and/or review your application before submitting. Many of them can help answer your questions about the UC Tech Awards program or the UC Tech Conference. In some cases, they may read your application and provide feedback before you submit it.
Eligibility Criteria
Those working in cross-location and cross-functional teams are encouraged to participate or nominate their colleagues. All of the following eligibility criteria must be met:
- The project must be operational and have been implemented within the last three (3) years
- Individuals or teams, including those who were equally involved in significant projects.
- Staff and faculty employed by the University of California.
- Technology-centered functions, including technology, research, academic, and business support units.
Selection Criteria
The UC CIO Council selection committee* selects up to one golden and up to one silver award for each category, based on the following criteria, which will be rated on a scale of 1 (less) to 5 (more) of each criteria indicated.
1. Complexity – How complex was/were the problem(s) addressed?
2. Impact – How impactful was the work – was the number of individuals impacted large, the depth of impact significant, or the solution a novel one that could be implemented by others?
3. Mission alignment – Does the work advance the university’s mission or key values of access, affordability, and excellence?
*About the UC CIO Council’s Selection Committee
The UC Tech Awards Program selection committee is composed of several members of the CIO Council, who rotate annually. The committee determines the award winners on the basis of submitted materials and in accordance with the selection criteria.
Each year, the CIO Council chooses a golden and silver winner of each award type. They look forward to reviewing submissions each year and to celebrating achievements of the UC Tech community during the awards ceremony, typically on day 2 of the UC Tech Conference* each year.
UC Tech Annual Awards Categories for 2025
The awards recognize individuals, teams or project teams, as specified below.
1. Larry L. Sautter Award for Innovation in Information Technology – The award is
given to an individual or a team for having implemented an innovative technology initiative that has had significant impact on the university’s academic/research mission, student life, business operations, patient care, or public service mission. Innovation is defined as the new application of technology, the creative use of limited resources, or an emphasis on collaboration to solve a problem.
2. DEI Leadership Award – Recognizes the leadership of an individual or team in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in technical communities, as demonstrated by specific tactics to create vehicles that improve visibility, access and engagement of underrepresented populations.
3. IT Security Award – The award is given to an individual or team that advanced IT security at the University of California through awareness and training, policy, technical controls, and/or IT security hygiene. Projects that intersect with legal, privacy, and compliance are eligible.
4. Yvonne Tevis UC Collaboration Award – The award is given to an individual or team that conducted a strong collaborative technology initiative across two or more UC locations, across a UC campus and UC health system, and/or with other UC partners.
5. Mojgan A. Amini Operational Excellence Award – The award is given to an individual or team that transformed a business process (via reliability, speed, scale, efficiency, and/or effectiveness), whether through business process design, automation, customer service, digital transformation, or another initiative.
6. Design Award – The award is given to an individual or team that transformed one or more touch points through the application of various design disciplines (e.g., visual design, interaction design, user experience (UX) design, customer experience (CX) design and/or industrial design to improve usability and/or create a more elegant experience for everyone, including people with disabilities.
7. Sustained Impact Award (for individuals only) – The award is given to an individual who, over time, has contributed significant expertise, passion, and commitment to the university as evidenced by a portfolio of work supporting the technology arena.
8. Responsible AI Award – This award is presented to a team that exemplifies excellence in designing and implementing artificial intelligence (AI) solutions that prioritize responsibility and ethics. The recipients work collaboratively across multiple locations and functions, leveraging their diverse expertise to develop innovative and responsible AI-driven technologies. Their solution not only addresses a unique administrative challenge but also aligns with principles of transparency, fairness, accountability, and inclusivity, ensuring that the AI system positively impacts stakeholders while minimizing risks or unintended consequences. This recognition highlights their dedication to advancing AI in a way that benefits society.
Learn more about the UC Tech Awards Program Applications & Nominations Process
Join the many community members who provide valuable feedback during these info sessions. Please contact UC Tech News any time if you have questions or thoughts to share.
2025 UC Tech Awards webinar/info-session schedule:
- Thursday, January 16, 2025, 2-2:30 p.m. [Zoom registration link]
- Friday, January 24, 2025, 3:30-4 p.m. [Zoom registration link]
- Monday, February 3, 2025, 9-9:30 a.m. [Zoom registration link]
FAQs
- Do I /we apply for an “individual” or “team” award? The CIO Council welcomes individuals to apply. If the individual is the leader of a project team, that individual can acknowledge those who worked on the project with them in their application and during the awards ceremony, but the focus will be on the individual leader. On the other hand, if project teams would like to apply as a group, they are also welcomed to do so.
- How far back in time can I submit projects? If you chose to celebrate a project team, the project must be operational and have been implemented within the last three (3) years.
- Is there a limit on the number submissions for one individual or team? No.
- Where can I see winning applications from prior years? Please visit this article on recent winners and all applications, or view UC Records, with all applications/nominations since 2001.
- Is there a template for me to email my team or post on social media to promote the UC Tech Awards program? Yes, each year, the UC Tech Awards Committee creates a UC Tech Awards Program marketing/media kit. This kit includes examples of emails and other formats for your communications needs.
- More questions? Join a UC Tech Awards application webinar/info-session, or contact Laurel.Skurko@UCOP.edu.
Other Resources
- Review this UC Tech 2024 Webinar/ Info Session Deck.
- See past year applications from 2024 and beyond.
- Contact: UC Tech Awards Program Director: Laurel Skurko at Laurel.Skurko@UCOP.edu
Contact
UC Tech Awards Program Director
UC Office of the President
*The UC Tech Conference is an annual event for members of the UC Tech community, who are tech employees at the university. At this conference, about three days in length, members of the UC Tech community gather to attend educational workshops, networking and more. It happens one time each year, and rotates UC locations. In 2024, it was hosted at UC Davis. Learn more about the UC Tech 2024 Conference here.