Award Information
This award was established in 2021. It supports innovation in the field of solid-state circuits by funding projects that build excitement around the field among future generations, encouraging their participation, and awarding applicants whose project proposals are selected.Project examples include, but are not limited to: design activities that engage students at the pre-college or undergraduate level, and/or teams from underrepresented groups; development of tools that provide broad access to design and simulation resources; and projects that expand the application of solid-state circuits technology to new areas.
This is an annual award, and up to 10 applicants may be recognized in a single year, based on the availability of funds in the James D. Meindl Memorial Educational Fund and the approval of the SSCS AdCom. Applicant must be a current SSCS member in good standing, with an initial join date at least in the previous calendar year. This award will be given annually only if a suitable awardee or awardees are identified.
Each recipient receives a development grant of up to $20,000 to support the recipient’s project proposal, plus a plaque and a $5,000 honorarium. Each recipient shall submit a report on project outcomes no later than 18 months following receipt of the award, and the report shall be subject to an audit by the Society.
There will be an open call for applications via the primary communication channels of the Solid-State Circuits Society. Applications must be received in the year prior to the year the award is presented. Self nominations are permitted.
The SSCS Award Committee will appoint a sub-committee of experts to evaluate applications as to whether the applicant’s contribution is significant and merits consideration for the Award.
This award will be presented at the International Solid-State Circuits Conference.
Important Dates and Deadlines
The nomination cycle is open annually from June 1 through October 15. The deadline for submissions is October 15, 11:59 p.m. ET. If you have any questions, please use the form here. Watch your email, social media, and our website for details!
Submission Instructions
A platform called OpenWater is required to upload nomination packages. For detailed instructions on how to use the OpenWater platform, click here.
The following materials must be uploaded as part of the nomination package:
- A one-page paper describing the applicant’s accomplishments and involvement in the field of solid-state circuits. (PDF only 25 MB max)
- A plan, not to exceed one page, that tells us how the development grant would be used to support a project that will engage the next generation of IC designers (PDF only, 25 MB Max)
- Two letters of recommendation.
Incomplete nomination packages will not be accepted or considered.
Nominators please note:
Awards are governed by the TAB Awards and Recongition Manual, and the IEEE Policies. These include, but are not limited to:
1. Individuals serving on any board or committee involved at any stage of the recipient selection or approval process for an award shall be ineligible to receive, or act as a nominator or reference for, that award. A list of SSCS Awards Committee members can be found at the top of this page. Please refer to the SSCS Bylaws for a list of elected, appointed, or ex-officio AdCom positions whose holders are ineligible. The names of those holding AdCom positions can be found here. If you have any questions, please use this form.
2. An individual shall receive only one award for a given achievement, unless the significance merits a higher award, which may be given in the following year or thereafter.
About the James D. Meindl Innovators Award
Anthony Patrick Mauro Receives 2025 IEEE Solid-State Circuits James D. Meindl Innovators Award
The IEEE Solid-State Circuits Society (SSCS) has presented the 2025 James D. Meindl Innovators Award to Anthony Patrick Mauro in recognition of his initiative to formalize foundational high school courses in Analog Electronics and Digital Logic Circuits, and to develop a new “Digital Circuit Design with HDL” curriculum.
This project involves creating comprehensive teacher training materials for all three courses and will be piloted in the Carlsbad Unified School District. Upon successful implementation, it will provide a blueprint for other school districts globally to adopt similar curricula and training programs. The award was presented at the 2026 International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC) in San Francisco, California.
About Anthony Patrick Mauro: Tony Mauro currently teaches Computer Science, Machine Learning, and Digital Circuit Design, and founded NexStream Technical Education to provide enrichment opportunities in these areas to students and professionals looking to enhance their skill sets.
His formal education is in Electrical Engineering, where he completed his BSEE and MSEE degrees from California Polytechnic University and the University of Southern California. He worked as a hardware, software, and systems design engineer at Qualcomm Inc. for over 20 years, during which time he was awarded more than 20 patents. He joined UC San Diego Extended Studies as an instructor in 2022, where he develops curriculum and teaches in the Division of Extended Studies and Futures.
He is also active in computer science and engineering pathways with the California Career Technical Education (CTE) program of study and contributes to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) to promote the fields to secondary students.
Anthony Patrick Mauro
InstructorUCSD Futures and Extended Studies
Past Recipients
| Year | Recipient |
|---|---|
| 2023 | Daniel Limbrick, North Carolina Agricultural & Technical University |
| 2022 | Azad J. Naeemi, Georgia Institute of Technology |