IEEE Computer Society Establishes Two New Endowed Awards to Honor Achievement in Artificial Intelligence

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif., 26 August 2026 – The IEEE Computer Society announces the establishment of two new awards recognizing outstanding achievement in artificial intelligence: the IEEE Computer Society Artificial Intelligence Innovator Award and the IEEE Computer Society Artificial Intelligence Rising Stars Award. Both awards will be administered by the IEEE Computer Society and are supported through endowed funding, managed by the IEEE Foundation, with the inaugural awards to be presented in 2027. The awards honor computing professionals and undergraduate students advancing AI through innovation, technical excellence, and demonstrated societal impact.

The development of these awards was made possible through close collaboration among donors, IEEE Computer Society leadership, IEEE Foundation, and IEEE volunteers. Dr. Grace A. Lewis, 2026 IEEE Computer Society President, reflected on the collaborative effort:

"Artificial intelligence is redefining computer science and engineering, making it essential to recognize professional technical leadership and emerging talent. These new award initiatives reflect the strong alignment between donor vision and the IEEE Computer Society’s mission to advance computing for the benefit of humanity. The development of these awards has been a meaningful example of how volunteer leadership and professional staff can work together to enable lasting impact. We are deeply grateful to Dr. Laung-Terng Wang, our generous donors, and our dedicated volunteers for creating an enduring legacy that will inspire AI excellence for decades to come."

The founding donor of both awards, Dr. Laung-Terng Wang, IEEE Life Fellow and Founder and CEO of SynTest Technologies, Inc., added:

“True progress in artificial intelligence requires a dual commitment: honoring visionary innovators whose pioneering contributions have created the foundational technologies that advance AI for the benefit of society and, simultaneously, empowering the next generation of outstanding undergraduate students whose creativity, talent, and potential will help shape its future. By establishing these awards, our goal is to inspire the international community to recognize both established AI pioneers and outstanding undergraduate innovators who are utilizing AI responsibly to benefit society and advance computer science and engineering.”

IEEE Computer Society Artificial Intelligence Innovator Award

The IEEE Computer Society Artificial Intelligence Innovator Award recognizes outstanding and sustained contributions to artificial intelligence that have transformed the technical state of the art and its impact on society. The award honors individuals whose work has fundamentally advanced AI theory, algorithms, systems, architectures, or hardware, and whose contributions have had enduring influence on research, practice, or education.

The IEEE Computer Society evaluates nominations using the following criteria:

• Technical Innovation — Originality, novelty, and technical depth of contributions to AI theory, algorithms, systems, architectures, or hardware, including AI-driven computing techniques that advance computer science and engineering.
• Societal and Ethical Impact — Demonstrated positive impact on society through responsible and beneficial applications of AI that contribute to the public good.
• Sustained Contribution — Long-term influence and leadership shaping the direction of AI research and applications in computing.
• Intellectual Leadership — Vision, mentorship, and community impact advancing research, education, and practice in AI.

Contributors

The award is made possible thanks to approximately $300,000 in philanthropic commitments from pioneering leaders who are Distinguished Alumni of National Taiwan University.

Dr. Laung-Terng Wang is the founding donor of the endowment supporting the award.

IEEE Computer Society Artificial Intelligence Rising Stars Award

The IEEE Computer Society Artificial Intelligence Rising Stars Award is an annual international recognition program honoring undergraduate excellence, innovation, and responsible advancement in AI. The award recognizes student-led or mentor-supported projects that demonstrate originality, clear AI integration, and measurable societal or technological impact.

The award is open to undergraduate students worldwide who are currently enrolled in an academic program, as well as those who have graduated within the past six months from an undergraduate or equivalent program. Nominees are not required to be members of the IEEE Computer Society.

Participation is open to individuals or teams of up to four students. Each team may include up to two mentors or advisors who may provide guidance and technical support. Mentors are not eligible to receive monetary awards.

Each project will be evaluated using the following criteria:

• Innovation and Originality
• Impact and Applicability
• Technical Rigor
• Expository Excellence

Contributors

The award is made possible thanks to approximately $275,000 in philanthropic commitments from leaders in industry and academia who are Alumni of National Taiwan University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

Dr. Laung-Terng Wang is the founding donor of the endowment supporting the award.