The Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF) is proud to honor the transformative contributions of Asian American pioneers through the Pioneer Medal and the newly established Justice Medal. These initiatives celebrate trailblazers who have reshaped industries, inspired generations, and broken barriers in science, technology, and beyond.
Asian American Pioneer Medal
AASF launched the Pioneer Medal in 2024 to recognize individuals whose groundbreaking contributions have had a global impact. The medal celebrates leaders in education, science, technology, and community advocacy, furthering AASF’s mission to uplift and inspire.
Previous Medalists:
2024
- Nasir Ahmed, Professor Emeritus, Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of New Mexico, honored for inventing discrete cosine transform (DCT) for media compression
- Mau-Chang Frank Chang, Wintek Chair in Electrical Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, honored for inventing heterojunction power amplifier for mobile communication
- Dawon Kahng, President Emeritus, NEC Research Institute and Simon Min Sze, Honorary Chair Professor Emeritus, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, honored for discovery of the floating gate memory effect
- Teresa Huai-Ying Meng, Reid Weaver Dennis Professor of Electrical Engineering Emerita, Stanford University, honored for inventing integrated CMOS radio to make WiFi everywhere
- Dabbala Rajagopal “Raj” Reddy, Moza Bint Nasser University Professor of Computer Science and Robotics in the School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, honored for inventing continuous speech recognition
2025
- David Ho, Professor of Microbiology & Immunology, Clyde ’56 and Helen Wu Professor of Medicine; Director, Wu Family China Center; and Emeritus Founding Director, Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center at Columbia University, honored for pioneering HIV/AIDS research and treatment
- Mani Menon, Chief of Strategy and Innovation in the Department of Urology for the Mount Sinai Health System, honored for groundbreaking advances in robotic surgery
- Shuji Nakamura, CREE Professor of Solid State Lighting and Displays, Materials at the University of California – Santa Barbara, honored for inventing the blue LED
- Chih-Tang (Tom) Sah, Professor Emeritus of Physics and Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, honored for revolutionary work in semiconductor electronics
- Wong Tsoo, first engineer at Boeing, honored posthumously for pioneering modern aircraft design
Asian American Justice Medal
Previous Medalists:
2025
- Aiko Herzig-Yoshinaga, political activist, honored for uncovering critical evidence for the coram nobis cases which led to the Civil Liberties Act of 1988
- Fred Korematsu, civil rights activist, honored for fighting for the rights of Japanese Americans affected by incarceration during World War II
- Dr. Karen Korematsu, Founder and President of the Korematsu Institute, honored for advancing civil liberties and public education
Nomination Process
Asian American Pioneer Medal
The Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF) welcomes nominations for the annual Pioneer Medal, honoring individuals whose groundbreaking work has profoundly shaped modern science and public life. This prestigious medal recognizes transformative achievements across the fields of life sciences, physical sciences, computer science, engineering science, mathematics, and interdisciplinary areas. The medal is established especially to celebrate trailblazers whose impact, though deeply significant, may remain under-recognized or unseen by the broader public, yet whose legacy continues to influence science and society in lasting ways.
Asian American Justice Medal
The Asian American Justice Medal honors individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary courage, leadership, and lasting social impact in advancing justice, civil rights, and equality in the United States. This prestigious recognition celebrates those whose work has challenged injustice, uplifted marginalized communities, and contributed to meaningful societal change. The medal highlights the vital role of Asian Americans and allies in shaping a more just, inclusive, and compassionate society through advocacy, education, and public service.
The nomination process is as follows:
1. Eligibility Criteria
- Nominee: The nominee must be a current or former (deceased) U.S. citizen or resident.
- Nominator(s): The nominator(s) must be AASF Fellows, Members, or individuals invited by the Nomination Committee.
- Endorser (optional): The nomination may include endorsement letter(s) from endorser(s), who is not required to be an AASF Fellow or Member.
2. Nomination Submission
- Nomination Form: The nominator submits a completed AASF Medalist Nomination Form, signed by the nominator. The nomination form should include:
- the nominee’s personal information;
- a description of the nominee’s scientific or technical contributions (for Pioneer Medals) or contributions to justice and civil rights (for Justice Medals);
- the societal impact of the nominee’s contributions. The word limit for the second and third sections is 400 words each.
- Supporting Materials (optional):
- The Curriculum Vitae of the nominee.
- The endorsement letter signed by the endorser.
3. Nomination Timeline
- Opening Date: October 1, 2025.
- Deadline: November 30, 2025.
4. Notification and Recognition
The selected medalists will be notified by the AASF Board in mid-January of the following year and will be recognized in the medal ceremony at the subsequent annual AASF meeting.
5. Induction of Medalists as AASF Fellows
Selected medalists who are not already AASF Fellows shall be invited to join the Fellowship of the AASF. Upon acceptance by the medalist and approval by the AASF Executive Committee, they will be formally inducted and recognized at the subsequent annual AASF meeting.
Start Your Nomination Here
Started in 2024, AASF Pioneer and Justice Medals recognize the groundbreaking contributions of Asian Americans.
Nomination Timeline
Deadline: November 30, 2025