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The Canadian Aeronautics and Space Institute (CASI) recognizes and celebrates outstanding Canadian achievement in aeronautics and space with five prestigious Senior Awards.
Nominations are now invited of a deserving person, or team, for one of the awards described below. Presentation will be made in mid‐2018 during a gala event that will bring together the recipients with family, friends and well‐wishers.
Readers are asked to consider nominating a person, or a team, whose achievements respond to the criteria of one of the Senior Awards. The strength of a nomination increases with the number and stature of people endorsing it.
The Awards and Scholarships web site includes past recipients, nomination forms and instructions.
Nominations should be received by Dec. 15, 2017. Nomination forms are available here.
The Trans Canada (McKee) Trophy ‐ established in 1927
The Trans Canada (McKee) Trophy is awarded for outstanding achievements in the field of aerospace operations, particularly in pioneering as aircrew, new areas and applications in aerospace.
The achievement shall be of contemporary significance and the recipient shall be or have been a Canadian citizen at the time of the achievement.
Terms: The trophy shall be awarded annually (except when no qualified recipient is nominated) for outstanding achievement in the field of aerospace operations; this achievement may be a single brilliant exploit or a sustained high level of performance of contemporary significance.
To maintain the high prestige of the trophy, it shall not be awarded for less than outstanding achievements.
Pioneering of new areas of aerospace operations shall also receive special consideration. Achievements, which enhance aerospace operations, shall also receive special consideration.
The recipient shall be of have been a Canadian citizen and shall have been identified with Canadian aerospace operations either military or civil, at the time of the achievement.
Qualifications as aircrew shall be a prior claim to consideration, but lack of such qualification shall not exclude others from consideration, provided they qualify in all respects under these terms.
The achievements for which the trophy is awarded may be a single brilliant exploit within the past year or a sustained high level of performance in recent years. Pioneering of new areas of air operations and advancement of the use of aviation shall receive consideration over achievements serving no useful end. Qualification as aircrew gives prior claim to consideration.
The recipient shall have been domiciled in Canada at the time of the achievement.
The McCurdy Award ‐ established in 1953
The McCurdy Award is presented for outstanding achievement in the science, engineering and creative aspects relating to aeronautics and space research.
The award is given for the achievements which, in the judgement of the Council of the Institute, constitute the most significant personal contribution made in recent years towards the advancement of science or technology of aeronautics and space exploration, and is of a quality worthy of special recognition.
The contribution may have been made some time ago and only recently come to fruition; if made in an administrative capacity, it shall have been directly associated with science and technology and shall have been sustained over a number of years at an imaginative and creative level above that which would have normally be considered a competent and successful performance.
The recipient shall have been resident in Canada when the contribution was made.
The C.D. Howe Award ‐ established in 1966
The C.D. Howe Award celebrates achievement in the fields of planning, policy making and overall leadership in Canadian aeronautics and space activities.
The achievement for which the award is given shall be of permanent significance, and its benefits to aeronautics and space activities in Canada shall have been unquestionably established.
To this end, the recipient shall have sustained an outstanding, personal performance in these fields for at least 10 years and it shall be reasonably certain that the merits of his achievements will be unassailable in the light of history.
The Roméo Vachon Award ‐ established in 1968
The Roméo Vachon Award recognizes an outstanding display of initiative, ingenuity and practical skills in the solution of a particular challenging problem or series of problems in aeronautics and space activities in Canada.
The achievement for which the award is given shall be technological in nature, particularly practical skills not necessarily in the scientific or engineering fields.
The Alouette Award ‐ established in 1995
In 1995 CASI introduced the Alouette Award to recognize an outstanding contribution to advancement in Canadian space technology, application, science or engineering.
It may be awarded to an individual, to a group, an organization or group of organizations, as appropriate to the nature of the contribution.
The trophy is awarded annually for outstanding achievement in the field of astronautics: either a single outstanding contribution or, in the case of an individual nominee, a sustained high level of performance resulting in several advances in space.
The contribution on which the award is based must be recognized as a Canadian‐led space endeavour or as a significant Canadian contribution to an international program.
Preference shall be given to contributions that lead to new benefits for humankind.
