STS Student Academic Awards
The Program in Science, Technology, and Science grants three student awards each academic year. In addition, STS Honors Students have received Firestone and Golden Medal for Honors Theses in recognition of excellence in undergraduate research at Stanford.
STS Director’s Award for Advancing Social Justice in Science, Technology, and Medicine
This annual award recognizes a Stanford STS undergraduate or graduate student, teaching assistant, or staff member who made a special contribution to social justice for historically disadvantaged groups who are underrepresented in STEM fields. Awardees have helped others learn about such obstacles and injustices as racism, sexism, and homophobia, and/or helped to create lasting institutional change in support of equal access to economic, political, and social rights and opportunities. The award carries an honorarium of $500.
STS Director’s Award Recipients
| Recipients: | YEar |
|---|---|
| Monica Sircar, Ph.D. Candidate, Graduate School of Education | 2024 |
| Nicole Mossmer, B.S. Degree in STS with a concentration in Communication & Media | 2023 |
| Frank Mondelli, Ph.D. Candidate, East Asian Languages and Cultures | 2022 |
| Nina Dewi Toft Djanegara, Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Anthropology | 2022 |
| Jasmine Reid, Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Anthropology | 2021 |
The Robert McGinn Award
Named in honor of former STS Faculty Director Robert McGinn, this award is granted each year to the student with the highest grade point average among those graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Science, Technology, and Society. Professor McGinn is Professor (Teaching) Emeritus of Management Science and Engineering (MS&E), and of Science, Technology, and Society (STS). His research explores ethical issues raised by developments in contemporary engineering and science, and ethical issues raised by the diffusion of technical innovations in society. More about Professor McGinn
Robert McGinn Award Recipients
| REcent REcipients | Year |
|---|---|
| Isabella Grace Marie Raja | 2024 |
| Sophie Wallace | 2023 |
| Sierra Enge | 2022 |
| Natalie Hojel | 2021 |
| Hope Schmalzried | 2020 |
| Sophie Hamilton-Brochocka | 2019 |
| Maddie Bukaty | 2018 |
| Zabreen Akhtar Khan | 2017 |
| Jasmine Park | 2016 |
| Cody Behan | 2015 |
| Mailyn Fidler | 2014 |
| Andy Stuhl | 2013 |
The Walter Vincenti Award
Named in honor of former STS Faculty Director Walter G. Vincenti, this award is granted annually to the student with the highest grade point average among those graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Science, Technology, and Society. Professor Vincenti was one of two professors first hired for the Aeronautics and Astronautics Department at Stanford University and was a cofounder of STS, know then as the Values, Technology, and Society program. Listen to an interview with Professor Vincenti about his career
Walter Vincenti Award Recipients
| REcent REcipients | Year |
|---|---|
| Iris Ung | 2024 |
| Nicole Mossmer | 2023 |
| Carolina Sculti | 2022 |
| Meghan McClure | 2021 |
| Brian Contreras | 2020 |
| Michelle Sonngin Bach | 2019 |
| Elizabeth Trinh | 2018 |
| Brian Wei | 2017 |
| Brandon Evans | 2016 |
| Daniel Knapp | 2015 |
| Gabriel Ben-Dor | 2014 |
| Ollie Khakwani | 2013 |
Firestone and Golden Medals for Honors Theses
Many of our STS Honors Program students have received undergraduate awards that recognize the top 10 percent of Stanford honors theses completed in a given year. The Firestone Medal for Excellence in Undergraduate Research recognizes theses written in the social sciences, natural sciences and engineering. The Golden Medal for Excellence in Humanities and Creative Arts similarly distinguishes theses in the humanities or creative projects in the fine arts. Visit our Honors Theses page to see our Honors student award recipients and browse their theses.