Apply for an Award

 

The UC Tech Awards program is a great way to recognize outstanding colleagues and gain meaningful visibility across UC and beyond. We encourage you to apply. Please read this page carefully before starting your application, and submit your completed application form to the portal between March 2 and March 23, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. (Pacific Time).

Coming Soon: Download Application Form

Coming Soon: Upload Application to Portal

Steps to Submit an Application

  1. Confirm whether you or your project meet(s) the eligibility requirement.
  2. Download and fill out the application form. You will need to choose one award category. Review the selection criteria to help you prepare a compelling application.
  3. Upload your application to the submission portal by March 23, 2026. Submitters will be notified about decisions in mid-April.
  4. If you are an award winner, be featured in a formal awards ceremony during the 2026 UC Tech Annual Conference, held July 8-10 at UC Merced. One complimentary conference registration pass will be awarded to each winner/winning team. Registration details will be shared at a later date. You do not need to attend the conference to be an award winner.

Eligibility

  • Applicants must be UC staff or faculty.
  • Applicants can be individuals or teams, including those who were equally involved in large projects.
  • Project(s), individuals, and teams must be technology-centered, including work in IT, research, academic and business support functions.
  • Project(s) must be operational and implemented within the last three (3) years.
  • Cross-location and cross-functional teams are encouraged to apply.

Award Categories

The seven awards recognize individuals or teams as specified below.

  • Recognizes a unique AI-driven solution that delivers clear value, solves a business challenge, and upholds UC AI Principles such as transparency, fairness, accountability, privacy, and non-discrimination.

  • Celebrates design excellence that improves usability and creates inclusive, accessible experiences through disciplines such as user experience (UX), customer experience (CX), industrial, visual, or interaction design.

  • Recognizes innovative technology initiatives that significantly impact the university’s academic, research, student life, business operational, healthcare, or public service missions through creative solutions and collaboration.

  • Honors projects, including those related to privacy, legal, or compliance, that strengthen IT security at the UC through awareness and training, policy, technical controls, or improved security practices.

  • Recognizes initiatives that improve business processes (via reliability, speed, scale, efficiency, or effectiveness) through design, automation, customer service, or digital transformation.

  • Honors an individual whose extensive contributions, expertise, and commitment have significantly advanced technology at the university and/or strengthened a culture of collaboration, respect, and belonging.

  • Recognizes strong collaborative technology initiatives across two or more UC locations, a UC campus and UC health system, and/or with other UC partners.

Selection Criteria

Applications are reviewed by the CIO selection committee, which includes the system CIO as a standing member and four (4) members from the CIO Council who rotate across 19 locations annually, and other tech leaders. The committee selects one gold and one silver award per category.

For detailed guidance on crafting your application, see the selection rubric used for evaluations. Applicants will be notified about decisions in mid-April.

Complexity of Problem Statement

Does the application clearly describe the challenge? What makes your solution unique and reliable? Consider factors such as technical complexity, coordination of multiple stakeholders, and the specific location or department within UC.

 

Mission Alignment of Action

Does the project or individual advance the university’s mission and align with the values expressed in the award category? Are the actions taken clearly explained in the application?

 

Impact of Result

Does the project effectively address the specific problem or need? Where possible, include quantitative results such as the number of people, systems, or processes affected, the depth of impact, and the longevity of the change. Was the solution innovative, and has it been adopted by others?

 

Time Frame

Is the project operational, and has it been implemented within the last three (3) years?

Application FAQs

Get answers to common questions below.

  • The CIO Council welcomes individuals and teams to apply. If the individual is the leader of a project team, that individual can acknowledge those who worked on the project with them in their application and during the awards ceremony, but the focus will be on the individual leader. On the other hand, if project teams would like to apply as a group, they are also welcomed to do so.

  • We encourage applicants to choose one category for their submission. The judges may reserve the right to change the category, if needed, to support visibility of the nominees.

  • View this article on 2025 award winners and all applications, or view UC Records, with all applications since 2001.

  • The UC Tech Annual Conference is the University of California’s premier, three-day conference for IT professionals, technologists, and innovators across all UC campuses. This event brings together thought leaders, technical experts, and collaborators to share knowledge, explore emerging technologies, and strengthen connections across the UC system. Each year, a different UC campus is selected to host the conference.

  • You do not need to attend the conference to be an award winner. If you do not have the time or budget to attend, you will still receive the recognition and networking throughout the year ahead.