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Team Impact Award

Caltech is comprised of many teams working collaboratively to accomplish amazing things. In recognition of the great work of teams the Team Impact Award was introduced in 2016.

The award recognizes and rewards those teams that make significant contributions to the work and mission of the Institute. Teams who receive the award should be able to demonstrate that their work impacted and supported the research and/or education programs at the Institute.


2023 Winner: The Student-Faculty Programs Office

The Student-Faculty Program Office was honored for its work on the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF) and WAVE Fellowships programs, which provide students with the opportunity to conduct research under the guidance of experienced mentors working at the frontiers of their fields.

2022 Winner: The Owens Valley Radio Observatory (OVRO)

The Institute honored the Owens Valley Radio Observatory for its work to design, construct, and commission three major National Science Foundation-funded projects with a combined cost of more than $10 million despite obstacles created by COVID-19, such as the facility being closed for three months in 2020.

2021 Winner: Academic Media Technologies

The Institute honored Academic Media Technologies for their hard work supporting, hosting, and implementing all virtual classes, events, and large meetings for Caltech during COVID-19. One nominator wrote,​ "AMT has always been a stellar team that's supported campus activities with a standard of professionalism and care that sets the bar for excellence. However, during COVID-19, their implementation of Zoom-based events, workshops, and online classes has been a tremendous feat, and I cannot say enough good things about how well they work together as a team, seemingly unfazed by any challenge. Their positivity, grace, and expertise is unparalleled."

2020 Winner: Essential Workers

The year 2020 proved that all members of the Caltech community play an important role in our success. In response to this, the Institute decided to honor our essential workers with the 2020 Team Impact Award. We are continuously proud of their work and celebrate the unwavering commitment to Caltech and to science that essential staff display every day.

2019 Winner: Caltech Connect Trainers

The Institute honored the Caltech Connect trainers, created by Student Wellness Services in 2018 as a depression- and suicide-prevention resource, for its work in training more than 400 members of the Caltech community to help identify and assist students in need of counseling or other resources.

2018 Winner: Procurement and IMSS Teams

The Procurement and IMSS teams' P2P project—which saw members working with vendors, Caltech divisions, and employees to implement a new and efficient payment-and-invoice processing system for the Institute—"meaningfully responded to years of frustrations many [on campus] had with old ways of integrating purchasing and payments," one nominator wrote. "This has taken an incredible amount of effort, and yet they have maintained positive, even cheerful attitudes throughout."

2017 Winner: Caltech Center for Diversity

The Caltech Center for Diversity (CCD) mission is to provide education, advocacy, and allyship in order to increase institutional and personal capacity for diversity, ensuring a community committed to equity and inclusive excellence.

2016 Winner: CTLO

Founded in 2012, the Center for Teaching, Learning, & Outreach (CTLO) supports Caltech's educational mission through services including: working with faculty and teaching assistants on teaching methods and course design; fostering opportunities for students to grow as mentors, leaders and tutors; and connecting Institute researchers with K-12 teachers and students through outreach programs.