Recognition Awards

The NOGLSTP Recognition Awards were established as a means of identifying, honoring, and documenting the contributions of outstanding GLBT science, engineering and technology professionals, as well as corporations, academic institutions, and businesses that support GLBT professionals in the fields of science and technology.

NOGLSTP is pleased to announce the 2012 NOGLSTP Recognition Awards recipients: Martin Lo (LGBT Scientist of the Year), Charles Lickel (LGBT Engineer of the year), Mark Pope (Educator of the year), and Amy Ross (Walt Westman Award). These people will be honored at a gala awards banquet during our Out to Innovate Career Summit for LGBT People in STEM, October 13-14, at Fawcett Center, Ohio State University, Columbus OH.

The 2012 NOGLSTP Scientist of the Year, Martin Lo,PhD., has been working in the aerospace field since 1980. Dr. Lo is currently in the Instrument Software and Science Data Section, High Capability Computing and Modeling Group at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Caltech. Dr. Lo’s research interests are in nonlinear astrodynamics and dynamical astronomy with applications to space mission design. He is also interested in the analysis of high dimensional data using differential geometric and topological methods, the goal of which is to use advanced mathematics and computation to support the exploration and development of space and to create new capabilities for new types of space missions to explore the universe and extend human presence in space. Dr. Lo has received numerous NASA Achievement Awards and published over 50 papers in his field. While investigating the existence of low energy trajectories between planets with a student, he used invariant manifold theory from dynamical systems to discover the fact that the Solar System is actually connected from one end to the other by ultra low energy trajectories forming an end-to-end transportation system travelled by the comets and asteroids since the creation of the Solar System. Dr. Lo has named this system the “Interplanetary Superhighway” which will ultimately make space travel simpler. Using this research, he is able to explain the unusual orbits followed by the Jupiter Family of Comets that often become temporarily captured, as in the Shoemaker-Levy 9 that crashed into the planet Jupiter. Dr. Lo lives in Altadena, CA with his partner of 31 years and their adopted cat.

The 2012 NOGLSTP Engineer of the Year Award recipient is Chariles W. Lickel, formerly Vice President of Software Research at IBM. Now retired, Mr. Lickel, joined IBM in 1978 and held many prominent positions within their software divisions. Prior to joining IBM Software Research in 2005, Mr. Lickel was Vice President for systems software and storage development fat IBM’s Systems & Technology Group, leading a team of over 8000 people. In that role, he was responsible for all storage systems product development, disk and tape storage systems, storage software and products for network attached storage (SAN and NAS), as well as UNIX (AIX and Linux Technology Center) and software development for IBM eServer zSeries, iSeries and xSeries families of products. Mr. Lickel is a senior fellow of the American Leadership Forum in Silicon Valley; serves on Out and Equal’s Board of Directors, sits on the advisory boards of The Guidance Center, SUNY Albany, Pace University and the NJ Institute of Technology, and is a member of the Human Rights Campaign. Recognized as a leader of diversity within IBM, he was appointed the co-chair of the corporation’s Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) corporate diversity task force in 1998. In 2001, he was honored as one of the “Gay Financial Network 25″ for his effectiveness in shaping a diversity-friendly climate at work, as well as for service as a role model in business leadership. Mr. Lickel currently lives in Tarrytown, NY with his partner.

The 2012 NOGLSTP Educator of the Year is Dr. Mark Pope, Professor and Chair since 1997 of the University of Missouri, St Louis Division of Counseling and Family Therapy. Dr. Pope is a licensed Psychologist and has authored over 100 scholarly publications with much of his research focused on career development and LGBTQ issues. Dr. Pope’s scholarly work has contributed greatly to the multicultural and social justice counseling movement. He has illuminated the diversity which exists within LGBTQ communities, and has served to greatly expand a generation of counseling psychologists, counselors, and other mental health professionals’ understanding of LGBTQ issues in counseling and psychotherapy through workshops and mentoring. Dr. Pope has served as President of the American Counseling Association (ACA) and was ACA’s first openly gay President. He was instrumental in advancing the inclusion of LBGTQ issues into the multicultural discourse of the profession. His presence in ACA as an openly gay man has served as a role model for other psychologists and counselor educators who were reluctant to be themselves in their places of higher learning and/or employment. Dr. Pope was recently elected President of the American Psychological Association’s Division 44, which is the Society for the Psychological Study of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Issues.

The Walt Westman Award is named after one of NOGLSTP’s founders. This award is the highest national award given to a NOGLSTP Member who has shown dedication and commitment to the advancement of NOGLSTP’s mission. This prestigious award recognizes the unselfish and outstanding contributions of the honoree, whose activities — carried on continuously over a period of years — have brought honor and esteem to the NOGLSTP by their very character. This year, NOGLSTP is proud to honor my A. Ross, PhD, with the Walt Westman Award. Dr. Amy Ross has been active in the LGBTQA community for over 30 years. She was a founding member of Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Scientists and an early member of NOGLSTP. She has presented innumerable workshops and symposia on medical and scientific issues that relate to the LGBT community, many of them sponsored by NOGLSTP. In addition she has been instrumental in putting together the NOGLSTP Mentoring Program and MentorNet Affiliated Plus Partnership Program for NOGLSTP serving the role as coordinator since its inception and mentoring young people in the program. She has represented NOGLSTP at many professional society meetings, staffing booths and receptions, and acting a spokesperson for NOGLSTP. Most recently she has co-chaired and coordinated both of NOGLSTP’s Out to Innovate Summits for LGBTQA people in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Flying across the country on behalf of NOGLSTP, she has secured funding for the summits talking to sponsors and helping to write grants on NOGLSTP’s behalf. Dr. Ross’s unselfish and outstanding contributions of time, her generous personal contributions, and her tireless efforts on NOGLSTP’s behalf over many, many years have brought NOGLSTP the recognition that now accounts for much of the organizations success over the last few years.

See slide shows and photos from prior NOGLSTP Recognition Award events: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011

Named after one of NOGLSTP’s founders, this award is the highest national award given to a NOGLSTP Member who has shown dedication and commitment to the advancement of NOGLSTP’s mission. This prestigious award recognizes the unselfish and outstanding contributions of the honoree, whose activities — carried on continuously over a period of years — have brought honor and esteem to the Organization by their very character. He or she symbolizes, as did Walt Westman, the ideal role model to GLBT engineers and scientists today by preaching aloud that “it can be done”. Previous award recipients: Rochelle Diamond (2004); Michael Parga (2006); Christopher Bannochie (2007); Amy Ross (2012)

Learn more about Walt Westman and read some awardee acceptance speeches

This award is reserved for the GLBT Scientist who has made outstanding contributions to their field, and recognizes the awardee for sustained contributions in design, management, or research. The nomination form should include the technical or societal significance of these contributions or achievements. The nominee need not be well known to the science public at large, and need not be a NOGLSTP member. Previous award recipients: Larry Wagner (2004); Sim Aberson (2005); Kerry Sieh (2006); Carolyn Bertozzi (2007); Arnold Zwicky (2008); James Nowick (2009); Jesse Michael Bering (2010); Bill Hendrix(2011); Martin Lo (2012)

This award is reserved for the GLBT Engineer who has made outstanding contributions to their field, and recognizes the awardee for sustained contributions in design, production, management, or research. The nomination form should include the technical or societal significance of these contributions or achievements. The nomineee need not be well known to the science/engineering public at large, and need not be a NOGLSTP member. Previous award recipients: Lynn Conway (2005); Peter Ventzek (2006); Tim Gill (2007); Michael Steinberg (2008); Anthony J. Gingiss (2009); Jay Keasling (2010); William Huffman (2011); Charles Lickel (2013)

This award is reserved for the GLBTA Educator who has enabled significant growth for GLBT students in science or technology – through teaching, counseling, advocacy, role modeling, or other educational roles. The nomination form should include the significance of these contributions or achievements. The nominee need not be well known to the science public at large, need not be a NOGLSTP member, and may be a secondary or post-secondary educator.Previous award recipients: Denice Denton (2006); Karl Mauzey (2007); Michael Falk (2008); Virginia Uribe (2009); Donna Riley (2010); Ron Buckmire (2011); Mark Pope (2012)

These awards are given to the institution/organization which has demonstrated outstanding support for NOGLSTP, its programs and objectives.

The selections will be based upon the following criteria:

• assistance in meeting NOGLSTP’s goals,
• enhancing the achievements of their GLBT employees, and
• dedication and commitment to advancement of NOGLSTP’s growth

Previous award recipient: American Association for the Advancement of Science (2004)

National Corporate Award

These awards are given to the corporation or company which has demonstrated outstanding support for NOGLSTP, its programs and objectives. The selections will be based upon the following criteria:

• assistance in meeting NOGLSTP’s goals,
• enhancing the achievements of their GLBT employees, and
• dedication and commitment to advancement of NOGLSTP’s growth

Previous award recipient: Raytheon Company (2005)

1. The candidate must meet the criteria as stated in the award description.
2. To submit a nomination, the following must be completed:
   • NOGLSTP nomination form. Download nomination form now. This is a form-fillable Word document.
   • Nominee Merit Description
3. The nominee Merit Description for this award will consist of no more than a total of two typewritten pages addressing the following items:
   • Describe candidate’s contributions and or achievements, when they took place, and its affect.
   • Biographical sketch.
4. Any other supporting material that documents the nominee’s achievements and contributions.
5. Send your nomination package for arrival by August 1 2012. The person and address to send the package to is listed in the nomination form.