Celebrating Innovation: Project Pioneer and the Pioneer Award

The Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF) is proud to honor the transformative contributions of Asian American pioneers through Project Pioneer and the newly established Pioneer Award. These initiatives celebrate trailblazers who have reshaped industries, inspired generations, and broken barriers in science, technology, and beyond.

Launching Project Pioneer

In May 2023, AASF introduced Project Pioneer to educate the public on the remarkable history and achievements of Asian American pioneers and scholars.

The Inaugural Video Series

To kick off Project Pioneer, AASF partnered with the National Science Foundation to highlight the transformative work of:
  • Dr. Simon Sze and Dr. Dawon Kahng (1931-92): Co-discoverers of the floating-gate memory effect (1967), enabling modern flash memory storage. 
  • Dr. Nasir Ahmed: Inventor of Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT), foundational for audio, image, and video compression.
  • Dr. Raj Reddy: Pioneer of continuous speech-recognition technology, paving the way for virtual assistants like Alexa and Siri.
  • Dr. M.C. Frank Chang: Developer of high-performance power amplifiers for mobile communication chips.
  • Dr. Teresa Meng: Innovator of highly integrated radio-on-a-chip technology, revolutionizing Wi-Fi communication.
These trailblazers have revolutionized science and technology, enriching our world and inspiring future generations.

The Pioneer Award

Building on Project Pioneer, AASF launched the Pioneer Award in 2024 to recognize individuals whose groundbreaking contributions have had a global impact. The award celebrates leaders in education, science, technology, and community advocacy, furthering AASF’s mission to uplift and inspire.

2024 Asian American Pioneer Medal Symposium and Ceremony

The Inaugural Asian American Pioneer Medal Symposium and Ceremony held at Stanford University celebrated transformative contributions by Asian American pioneers and provided a platform for intellectual exchange and inspiration. The two-day event featured keynote speeches from Nobel Prize laureates Steven Chu and Randy Schekman and Turing Award laureate Raj Reddy. Fireside chats with former Stanford president and Turing Award laureate John Hennessy and industry leader Eric Yuan offered invaluable insights into leadership, energy, artificial intelligence, and life sciences. Additionally, the winners of the Youth Ambassador for Science competition were honored, showcasing the next generation of pioneers.

Looking Ahead

The Pioneer Award and Project Pioneer continue to grow, expanding their reach and impact. Stay tuned for details about the next Pioneer Award and future Project Pioneer initiatives.

Visit our Awards Event page for the latest details.

Inquiries

For questions about Project Pioneer, the Pioneer Award, or upcoming events, contact us at info@aasforum.org.