SIGMOBILE Outstanding Contribution Award

The SIGMOBILE Outstanding Contribution Award is given for significant and lasting contributions to the research on mobile computing and communications and wireless networking. It is the highest honor the SIGMOBILE community bestows on an individual.

The submission site for nominations is open for the 2026 round. Deadline: April 15, 2026 for guaranteed consideration.

2025 Recipient
Dina Katabi

For pioneering contribution in transforming wireless systems to solve foundational problems in wireless sensing and networking.

Past Recipients
Fouad Tobagi

For seminal development of Carrier Sense Multiple Access (CSMA) as a widely used fundamental mechanism for efficient wireless transmission.
2022
Andrea Goldsmith

For outstanding contributions to multi-antenna wireless communications through fundamental research, successful entrepreneurship, and inspired leadership.
2020
Marty Cooper

For seminal contributions to the conception, practice and adoption of portable telephony.
2019
Roy Want

For hardware and software contributions to the conception and practice of context-aware mobile computing.
2018
Teresa Meng

For groundbreaking research, engineering and entrepreneurial leadership to make Wi-Fi faster, lower power, and lower cost.
2017
Norm Abramson

For fundamental contributions to the theory and practice of random access wireless networking including the development of ALOHA, the first packet data wireless network.
2015
Mario Gerla

For pioneering contributions to mobile computing, communications and wireless networking.
2014
Leonard Kleinrock

For pioneering contributions to the first multi-hop packet switched radio network which formed the foundation for modern wireless networks.
2013
Victor Bahl

For pioneering contributions to wireless Internet broadband technologies, and for inspirational leadership of the mobile computing community.
2012
P. R. Kumar

For pioneering contributions to the foundations of asymptotic performance analysis of large scale wireless networks.
2010
Mahadev Satyanarayanan

For pioneering a wide spectrum of technologies in support of disconnected and weakly connected mobile clients.
2009
Deborah Estrin

For significant technical contributions and global advocacy of networked embedded systems.

2007
David E. Culler

For developing the TinyOS platform which significantly advanced wireless sensor networking research and associated applications.

2006
Daniel P. Siewiorek

For pioneering and fundamental contributions to wearable and context-aware computing.
2004
Andy Hopper

For pioneering new areas of research in wireless and mobile computing, driven by a unique blend of innovative academic research and recognition of its commercial potential.
2003
Ian F. Akyildiz

For pioneering contributions in the area of mobility and resource management for wireless communication networks.
2002
Randy H. Katz

For excellence in research and teaching of mobile computing systems and wireless networking.
2001
Imrich Chlamtac

For significant contributions to the design of distributed scheduling channel access protocols and leadership in mobile communications.
1999
Mark. D. Weiser

For fundamental contributions and leadership in developing the field of ubiquitous computing.
1998
Robert W. Brodersen

For ideas fundamental to the emergence of low power radio frequency communications devices and systems for handheld computers.

1997
David J. Goodman

For fundamental contributions to the theory of multiple access protocols for radio frequency communications.
1996
Anthony Ephremides

For fundamental contributions to statistical communications theory and its application to wireless and satellite systems.

Nomination Process

Each nomination should consist of the following items:

  1. Name, address, phone number, and email address of the nominator, nominee, and endorsers.
  2. Curriculum vitae, including a list of publications and/or accomplishments, of the nominee.
  3. Nominator’s statement (between 200 and 500 words long) as to why the nominee deserves the Outstanding Contribution Award.
  4. Minimum of three and maximum of five supporting statements from individuals who endorse the nomination. Endorsements may be in the form of emails and should not be longer than 500 words.

The award is usually given annually and will be presented at one of ACM SIGMOBILE's conferences during the year following selection of a winning nomination.

Please note:

  1. All materials must be submitted by the nominator, on or before May 5th.
  2. Self-nominations are not accepted.
  3. The nominee need not be a member of ACM SIGMOBILE.
  4. The nominator must be a member of ACM SIGMOBILE.
  5. An individual may nominate, or endorse, multiple nominees.
  6. Per ACM policy, if any member of the selection committee serves as a nominator or endorser of a candidate, such member will need to recuse themselves from the selection process.
  7. Nominations that did not result in an award can be resubmitted and updated in subsequent years.
  8. Members of the SIGMOBILE Executive Committee or the OCA Selection Committee are not eligible.

Submit your nominations here. Note: Please put the name and affiliation of the nominee in the Submission Title field --- such as Anthony Ephremedis (U Maryland), the nominator as the first and only author, and all materials combined into a single PDF.

Selection Committee

The selection committee comprises of all past winners (except those who need to recuse themselves due to conflict of interest guidelines) and a selection committee chair appointed by the SIGMOBILE EC. The selection committee chair typically casts a vote only in case of a needed tie-break.

For contact information --- please just include me Suman Banerjee (suman@cs.wisc.edu)