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Heinz Awards

Honorary Award


Summary

Honorary Award

FieldValue
nameHeinz Awards
imageHeinz Award Medal.png
awarded_forInnovative contributions in:
sponsorHeinz Family Foundation
dateEstablished
countryUnited States
reward250,000
website
  • Arts (visual)
  • Economy
  • Environment

The Heinz Awards was an annual philanthropic program presented by the Heinz Family Foundation to recognize outstanding individuals. The program was established in 1993 by Teresa Heinz (chair of the Heinz Family Foundation) The Heinz Awards were considered to be among the largest individual achievement prizes in the world.

From their inception until 2019, the Awards encompassed the categories of Arts and Humanities; Environment; Human Condition; Public Policy; and Technology, the Economy and Employment. Subsequently, they recognized outstanding individuals for their innovative contributions in three areas: the Arts, the Economy and the Environment.

Each recipient received an unrestricted prize of 250,000 and a cast silver medallion. The Heinz Awards medallion displays the likeness of Senator Heinz and the words "Shared Ideals Realized" on its front side, excerpted from a quote by the late Senator Heinz. Its reverse side features an image of a globe being exchanged between two hands.

Selection

As written by the Heinz Family Foundation, candidates selected for the Heinz Awards met three standards:

First, nominees exhibited the following personal characteristics: A passion for excellence that went beyond intellectual curiosity; a concern for humanity rooted in a deep sensitivity to the well-being of others; and a broad vision that extended far beyond the particular and embraced something universal.

Second, the work of the nominees met the following criteria: it was significant and not a "quick fix"; it demonstrated enduring and meaningful impact; it was creative and innovative; and it was sufficiently tangible to serve as a model for replication elsewhere.

Third, candidates were actively working in the field in which they were nominated so that the award would enhance their potential for future societal contribution.

Nominations were submitted by invited experts, who served anonymously. Submissions were researched and evaluated by Foundation staff and reviewed by jurors appointed by the Heinz Family Foundation. Jurors in each category made recommendations to the program’s board of directors, which selected the Award recipients.

Chairman's Medal

In certain years, the Heinz Awards board also chose to honor the lifetime achievement of a particular individual. The award was a non-monetary prize, and the honoree was presented with the Heinz Awards medallion at the same ceremony as the other laureates.

Recipients

Recipients of The Heinz Awards
30th Heinz Awards – 2025CategoryRecipient
ArtsJennifer Packer
ArtsMarie Watt
EconomyByron Auguste
EconomySara Bronin
EnvironmentDana Gunders
EnvironmentSacoby Wilson
29th Heinz Awards – 2024CategoryRecipient
ArtsJennie C. Jones
ArtsGala Porras-Kim
EconomyAisha Nyandoro (Springboard to Opportunities, Magnolia Mother’s Trust)
EconomyJessica Sager and Janna Wagner (All Our Kin)
EnvironmentAmira Diamond and Melinda Kramer (Women’s Earth Alliance)
EnvironmentScott Loarie and Ken-ichi Ueda (iNaturalist)
28th Heinz Awards – 2023CategoryRecipient
ArtsKevin Beasley
ArtsRoberto Lugo
EconomyKathryn Finney
EconomyLeah Penniman
EnvironmentNicole Horseherder
EnvironmentColette Pichon Battle
27th Heinz Awards – 2022CategoryRecipient
Artsvanessa german
ArtsCauleen Smith
EconomyHilary Abell and Alison Lingane
EconomyChrystel Cornelius
EnvironmentRhett Ayers Butler
EnvironmentAnne Evens
26th Heinz Awards – 2021CategoryRecipient
ArtsTanya Aguiñiga
ArtsSanford Biggers
EconomyDina Bakst and Sherry Leiwant (A Better Balance)
EconomyBill Bynum
EnvironmentGabe Brown
EnvironmentJacqueline Patterson
25th Heinz Awards – 2020CategoryRecipient
Arts and HumanitiesGabriela Lena Frank
EnvironmentLinda Behnken
Human ConditionMolly Baldwin
Public PolicyKaty Kozhimannil
Technology, the Economy and EmploymentAlfa Demmellash and Alex Forrester
Special Award Commemorating the 25th Heinz Awards AnniversaryDavid Autor
24th Heinz Awards – 2019CategoryRecipient
Arts and HumanitiesKevin Jerome Everson
EnvironmentRue Mapp
Human ConditionSarah Szanton
Public PolicyAmanda Nguyen
Technology, the Economy and EmploymentBrandon Dennison
23rd Heinz Awards – 2018CategoryRecipient
Arts and HumanitiesRalph Lemon
EnvironmentMing Kuo
Human ConditionNorman Atkins
Public PolicySherri Mason
Public PolicyEnric Sala
Technology, the Economy and EmploymentLinda Rottenberg
22nd Heinz Awards – 2017CategoryRecipient
Arts and HumanitiesNatasha Trethewey
EnvironmentGregory Asner
Human ConditionAngela Blanchard
Public PolicyMona Hanna
Technology, the Economy and EmploymentJoseph DeSimone
21st Heinz Awards – 2016CategoryRecipient
Arts and HumanitiesTroy Andrews
EnvironmentHal Harvey
Human ConditionNadine Burke Harris
Public PolicyMichelle Alexander
Technology, the Economy and EmploymentMatthew Mullenweg
20th Heinz Awards – 2015CategoryRecipient
Arts and HumanitiesRoz Chast
EnvironmentFrederica Perera
Human ConditionWilliam McNulty and Jacob Wood
Public PolicyAaron Wolf
Technology, the Economy and EmploymentSangeeta Bhatia
19th Heinz Awards – 2013CategoryRecipient
Arts and HumanitiesAbraham Verghese
EnvironmentJonathan Foley
Human ConditionSalman Khan
Public PolicySanjeev Arora (physician)
Technology, the Economy and EmploymentLeila Janah
18th Heinz Awards – 2012CategoryRecipient
Arts and HumanitiesMason Bates
EnvironmentRichard J. Jackson
Human ConditionFreeman Hrabowski III
Public PolicyKC Golden
Technology, the Economy and EmploymentJay Keasling
17th Heinz Awards with Special Focus on the Environment – 2011CategoryRecipient
Special Focus on the EnvironmentJohn Luther Adams
Special Focus on the EnvironmentRichard Alley
Special Focus on the EnvironmentJanine Benyus
Special Focus on the EnvironmentIan Cheney and Curt Ellis
Special Focus on the EnvironmentLouis Guillette
Special Focus on the EnvironmentJoan Kleypas
Special Focus on the Environmenttitle =Alumnae Environmentalists Win Heinz Awardsnewspaper=Harvard Magazinedate=September 14, 2011url=http://harvardmagazine.com/2011/09/nancy-knowlton-sandra-steingraber-heinz-awardsaccess-date=May 17, 2013}}
Special Focus on the EnvironmentNancy Rabalais
Special Focus on the EnvironmentSandra Steingraber
16th Heinz Awards with Special Focus on Global Change – 2010CategoryRecipient
Special Focus on Global ChangeJames Balog
Special Focus on Global ChangeTerrence Collins
Special Focus on Global ChangeGretchen Daily
Special Focus on Global ChangeRichard Feely
Special Focus on Global ChangeCary Fowler
Special Focus on Global ChangeLynn Goldman
Special Focus on Global ChangeElizabeth Kolbert
Special Focus on Global ChangeMichael Oppenheimer
Special Focus on Global ChangeDaniel Sperling
Special Focus on Global ChangeFrederick vom Saal
15th Heinz Awards with Special Focus on the Environment – 2009CategoryRecipient
Special Focus on the EnvironmentRobert Berkebile
Special Focus on the EnvironmentP. Dee Boersma
Special Focus on the EnvironmentChristopher Field
Special Focus on the Environmenttitle=Berkeley Lab's Ashok Gadgil Wins Heinz Awardpublisher=Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory News Centerdate=September 15, 2009url=http://newscenter.lbl.gov/news-releases/2009/09/15/ashok-gadgil-wins-heinz-award/access-date=December 4, 2010}}
Special Focus on the EnvironmentChip Giller
Special Focus on the EnvironmentDeborah Rice
Special Focus on the EnvironmentJoel Salatin
Special Focus on the Environmentlast=Yangfirst=Sarahtitle=Two UC Berkeley faculty among 10 recipients of $100,000 Heinz Awardspublisher=UC Berkeley Newsdate=September 15, 2009url=http://berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2009/09/15_heinz.shtmlaccess-date=December 4, 2010}}
Special Focus on the EnvironmentThomas Smith
Special Focus on the EnvironmentBeverly Wright
14th Heinz Awards – 2008CategoryRecipient
Arts and HumanitiesAnn Hamilton
EnvironmentThomas FitzGerald
Human ConditionBrenda Krause Eheart
Public PolicyRobert Greenstein
Technology, the Economy and Employmentlast=Stephensfirst=Timtitle=Alumnus Joseph DeRisi wins $250,000 Heinz Awardpublisher=UC Santa Cruzdate=September 9, 2008url=http://press.ucsc.edu/text.asp?pid=2399archive-url=https://archive.today/20110720082416/http://press.ucsc.edu/text.asp?pid=2399url-status=deadarchive-date=July 20, 2011access-date=June 7, 2009 }}
13th Heinz Awards – 2007CategoryRecipient
Arts and HumanitiesDave Eggers
EnvironmentBernard Amadei (co-awardee)
EnvironmentSusan Seacrest (co-awardee)
Human ConditionDavid Heymann
Public PolicyDonald Berwick
Technology, the Economy and Employmenttitle=For His Innovative Work In Prosthetics, Herr Wins The Heinz Award For Technology, The Economy And Employmentpublisher=Medical News Todaydate=September 14, 2007url=http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/82411.phpaccess-date=June 7, 2009archive-date=January 3, 2009archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090103163551/http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/82411.phpurl-status=dead }}
12th Heinz Awards – 2006CategoryRecipient
Arts and HumanitiesJames Nachtwey
EnvironmentPaul Anastas
Human ConditionWilliam Thomas
Public PolicyBruce Katz
Technology, the Economy and EmploymentLeroy Hood
The Chairman's Medaltitle=Science, health pioneers win $250,000 Heinz awardswork=USA Todaydate=September 25, 2006url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/health/2006-09-25-heinz-awards_x.htmaccess-date=May 19, 2013}}
11th Heinz Awards – 2005CategoryRecipient
Arts and HumanitiesMark di Suvero
EnvironmentJerry_F._Franklin
Human ConditionJoseph Rogers
Public PolicySidney Drell
Technology, the Economy and Employmenttitle=Dresselhaus honored with Heinz Awardpublisher=MITdate=May 2, 2005url=http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2005/heinz.htmlaccess-date=June 7, 2009}}
The Chairman's MedalRichard Goldman
10th Heinz Awards – 2004CategoryRecipient
Arts and HumanitiesAugust Wilson
EnvironmentPeggy Shepard
Human ConditionRobert Butler
Public PolicyJulius Richmond
Technology, the Economy and EmploymentRobert Langer
The Chairman's MedalRichard Lugar and Sam Nunn
9th Heinz Awards – 2003CategoryRecipient
Arts and HumanitiesBernice Johnson Reagon
EnvironmentMario Molina (co-awardee)
EnvironmentJohn Spengler (co-awardee)
Human ConditionPaul Farmer
Public PolicyGeraldine Jensen
Technology, the Economy and EmploymentPaul MacCready
8th Heinz Awards – 2002CategoryRecipient
Arts and HumanitiesDudley Cocke (co-awardee)
Arts and HumanitiesRick Lowe (co-awardee)
EnvironmentJane Lubchenco
Human ConditionCushing Dolbeare
Public PolicyGeorge Lee Butler
Technology, the Economy and EmploymentAnita Borg
The Chairman's MedalRuth Patrick
7th Heinz Awards – 2001CategoryRecipient
Arts and HumanitiesJacques d'Amboise (co-awardee)
Arts and HumanitiesArthur Mitchell (co-awardee)
Environmentlast=Chandlerfirst=Lynntitle=NASA Goddard Scientist to Receive Heinz Awardpublisher=Goddard Institute for Space Studiesdate=March 5, 2001url=http://www.giss.nasa.gov/research/news/20010305/access-date=June 7, 2009}}
Human ConditionAaron Beck
Public PolicyJohn Holdren
Technology, the Economy and EmploymentSteve Wozniak
The Chairman's Medallast=Kalsonfirst=Sallytitle=CMU professor honored for work purifying waternewspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazettedate=September 21, 2010url=http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/news/education/cmu-professor-honored-for-work-purifying-water-264854/access-date=May 19, 2013}}
The Chairman's MedalRussell Train
6th Heinz Awards – 2000CategoryRecipient
Arts and HumanitiesPeter Matthiessen
EnvironmentPaul Gorman
Human ConditionRobert P. Moses
Public Policylast=Volzfirst=J.title=Zigler wins prestigious Heinz awardpublisher=American Psychological Associationdate=November 3, 2000url=http://www.apa.org/monitor/mar00/zigler.htmlaccess-date=June 7, 2009}}
Technology, the Economy and EmploymentMary Good
5th Heinz Awards – 1999CategoryRecipient
Arts and HumanitiesWalter Turnbull
EnvironmentLois Gibbs (co-awardee)
EnvironmentFlorence Robinson (co-awardee)
Human ConditionLuis Acosta and Frances Lucerna
Public PolicyDaniel Patrick Moynihan
Technology, the Economy and EmploymentDean Kamen
4th Heinz Awards – 1998CategoryRecipient
Arts and HumanitiesJohn Harbison
EnvironmentAmory Lovins
Human ConditionCarol Gilligan
Public PolicyErnesto Cortes
Technology, the Economy and EmploymentRalph E. Gomory
3rd Heinz Awards – 1997CategoryRecipient
Arts and HumanitiesRita Dove
EnvironmentGeorge Woodwell
Human ConditionJames Comer
Public PolicyRalph Cavanagh
Technology, the Economy and EmploymentGeorge Hatsopoulos
The Chairman's MedalWilliam R. Hewlett and David Packard
2nd Heinz Awards – 1996CategoryRecipient
Arts and HumanitiesBeverly Sills
EnvironmentHerbert Needleman
Human ConditionMarian Wright Edelman
Public PolicyC. Everett Koop
Technology, the Economy and EmploymentWilliam J. Rutter
1st Heinz Awards – 1995CategoryRecipient
Arts and Humanitiestitle=The Senator's Legacy; Winners of Inaugural Heinz Awards Announcedwork=The Washington Postdate=January 27, 1995url=http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1P2-818153.htmlaccess-date=June 8, 2009}}
EnvironmentPaul and Anne Ehrlich
Human ConditionGeoffrey Canada
Public PolicyJames Goodby
Technology, the Economy and EmploymentAndrew Grove

References

References

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  12. (November 18, 2011). "Fairbanks composer John Luther Adams collects Heinz Award". [[Fairbanks Daily News-Miner]].
  13. Kalson, Sally. (September 13, 2011). "PSU professor's climate work wins 1 of 9 Heinz Awards". [[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]].
  14. (December 13, 2011). "Yale Graduates Receive Heinz Award". [[Yale University]] School Forestry & Environmental Studies.
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