RESOURCE: UC Tech Awards 2024 program description and application form – Deadline May 1

The UC Tech Awards Program, sponsored by the UC CIO Council, celebrates the achievements of UC employees in creating high-impact technology initiatives that drive digital transformation. A key source of innovation, the program promotes increased engagement that allows the community to learn from one another across a range of disciplines, including IT, research, academics, patient care and business. All applicants are profiled in a press release and included in networking events throughout the year that help foster connection and drive synergies and growth. Winners receive official recognitions and additional visibility. The CIO Council is immensely grateful to the teams across 25 locations who take the time to share their progress with them and the community at large. Apply or nominate a colleague now or before May 1.

Background Information

The UC CIO Council sponsors the program each year and selects awardees based on the complexity, impact and mission alignment of their work affecting digital transformation. The awards provide university-wide recognition for technology efforts of strategic importance that advance the university’s mission of teaching, research, public service, and patient care; and/or improve the effectiveness of business operations.

The UC Tech Awards program has been an integral part of the UC Tech Conference since 2001, when we created the Larry L. Sautter Award for Innovation in Information Technology (IT). Since then, the program has grown to seven awards.

The individuals and teams who are selected each year receive community-wide recognition and visibility, thanks to an awards ceremony, a press release, social media outreach and more. Learn more about the seven award categories (below) and review the application form. Explore the 2023 UC Tech Awards Program winners.

Prepare the application form

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Eligibility

Individuals or teams, including those who were equally involved in large projects.
Staff and faculty employed by the University of California.
Technology-centered functions, including technology, research, academic, and business support units.
Those working in cross-location and cross-functional teams are encouraged to participate or nominate their colleagues.

UC Tech Annual Awards Categories for 2024

The awards recognize individuals, teams or project teams, as specified below. Up to one Golden Award and one Silver Award is awarded for each award category. They select up to one golden and one silver award for each category.

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 (For individuals only) – Recognizes the leadership of an individual 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.

Selection Criteria

The UC CIO Council selection committee assesses submissions along the following criteria:

1. Complexity – How complex was/were the problem(s) addressed?
2. Impact – How impactful was the work – number of individuals impacted, and/or depth of impact?
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 five members of the CIO Council, including one member of the UC Office of the President and four others from locations who rotate annually. The committee determines the award winners on the basis of submitted materials and in accordance with the selection criteria. The names of committee members are added to this website after the selections have been announced each year.

Each year, the CIO Council chooses a gold 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.

FAQs

Do I /we apply for an “individual” or “team” award? The CIO Council welcomes individual to apply. If the individual is 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 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.

Application Instructions

The deadline for submission of applications for the upcoming season is Tuesday, May 1, 2024 at 5 p.m.
Please consider working with a UC Tech “Ambassador” or a communications specialist from your location to review and submit your application if you would like. You are also welcomed to submit your application on your own as well.
The information you will need to apply/nominate a colleague can be found on the 2024 application form (a Word template which can be downloaded from Box), which you will submit using the application portal.

Application Timeline

Wednesday, May 1, 2024 – Applications due 5 p.m. If this is an option for you, consider working through a UC Tech Ambassador or communications professional at your location so that they can be your point of contact with the UC Tech Awards program committee. In 2023, they sometimes helped edit and submit applications for members of their team.
~Monday, June 17, 2024 – Applicants receive the result of the selection process, one of 2 winners for their category or not, after the CIO Selection Committee has reviewed all applications.
Monday, October 28, 2024 – Winners announced at the UC Tech Awards Program Awards Ceremony at the UC Tech Conference. All applications, whether winners or not, will have their application published online.

Benefits of applying:

Winners and all applicants will receive recognition for professional achievements which will be shared with UC tech colleagues, including senior leaders, as well as the larger UC community. Benefits of participating:

You need not be present to win – if you do not have the time/budget to attend the conference this year, you will still receive the recognition and networking throughout the year ahead;
All applicants will have their application read by CIO’s;
All applications will be published online;
Winners (one gold and one silver award for each category), will be honored during an awards ceremony dinner;
Winners will receive significant visibility via press immediately after the event and throughout the year ahead;
Winners will receive professional awards ceremony photos and a video, along with a print- and digital certificate
All applicants for a category will be invited to participate in networking events to meet colleagues and others interested in their work throughout the year;