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Quest For Excellence Awards

The Quest for Excellence Award

The Quest for Excellence Awards are given each year to publicly recognize outstanding contributions of individuals in the greater Huntsville community in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).  Each year the award highlights a different branch of the STEM arena.

Q Award STEM Arena:

  • 2009- Mathematics
  • 2010- Aerospace Engineering
  • 2011- Science Research and Education
  • 2012- Technology
  • 2013 – Energy

An independent panel of individuals review all nominations and select the awardees.

History of the Quest for Excellence Awards

The Quest for Excellence Awards (also known as the “Q” Awards) was established to focus on individuals who make significant contributions in (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) STEM-related careers. The Mad Scientist Bash Committee went on a “Quest” to create an award that would truly represent the spirit of the “Quest for Excellence” recognition. They wanted something that was different, and that the recipients would be proud to display. They quickly discovered that being unique could amount to a lot of difficulty, but luckily they found some local talent right here in the community to help craft a truly unique award.

With the imagination of  Dawn Renae and Daniel Adamek;  local granite and marble craftsman, Armando Sanchez of the North Alabama Granite Company; and the extremely talented Susan Knecht, a local glass blower whose studio is located in Lowe Mill; they were able to exceed all expectations. This award represents ingenuity, imagination, uniqueness, and a lot of forethought and hard work. It represents the Quest for Excellence Awards, and especially the recipients who are so deserving.

The “Q” Award weighs in around seven pounds, has to bake three days in a kiln so that it will not explode, is held together by a special epoxy, and went through multiple prototypes to come up with the perfect combination to fit Sci-Quest, the name of the award and the recipients. It is truly a work of art!

Past Quest for Excellence Award Winners

2013 “Q” Award Winners:

  • Industry: Sameer Singhal, CFD Research Corporation
  • Academia:  Dr. Jason Cassibry, UAHuntsville
  • Educator:  Mike Evans, Huntsville City Schools

2012 “Q” Award Winners:

  • Industry:  Bob Baron, Baron Services, Inc.
  • Government:  Dr. Jessica A. Gaskin, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
  • Academia:  Dr. Hugh J. Christian, Jr., UAHuntsville
  • Educator:  Daniel M. Whitt, Madison City Schools
  • Director’s Choice:  Jerry Waugh, Northrop Grumman Corporation

(l-r) Dr. Hugh J. Christian, Jr., Dr. Jessica A. Gaskin, Jerry Waugh, Daniel Whitt, Bob Baron

2011 “Q” Award Winners:
•    Industry: Dr. William Seidler, The Boeing Corporation
•    Government/Nonprofit: Dr. Gerald Fishman, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
•    Academia: Dr. John R. Christy, UAHuntsville
•    Educator: Jo Stafford, Huntsville City Schools
•    Director’s Choice: Roger Herdy, Qualis Corporation
 

(l-r) Dr. John R. Christy, Dr. Jerry Fishman, Jo Stafford, Dr. Bill Seidler, and Roger Herdy.

2010 “Q” Award Winners:
•    Industry: Rex Geveden, Teledyne Brown Engineering, Inc.
•    Government/Nonprofit: Jerry Cook, Marshall Space Flight Center
•    Academia: Dr. Michael P.J. Benfield, UAHuntsville
•    Educator: Jeremy Raper, Bob Jones High School

(l-r) Jerry Cook, Dr. Michael P.J. Benfield, Jeremy Raper, Rex Geveden

2009 “Q” Award Winners:
•    Industry: Dr. Muril Robertson, Gleason Research Associates
•    Government/Nonprofit: Dr. Devin Absher, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology
•    Academia: Dr. Gary Zank, UAHuntsville
•    Educator: Cindy Rodgers, Grissom High School
•    Director’s Choice:  Joe Miller, The Boeing Company