Team Impact Award

About the 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.

Selection Criteria

Successful nominations will have demonstrated the following:

Completed a project, task, or discovery that has led to significant changes to how the Institute runs or significantly contributed to scientific or educational discourse;
Exhibited creative and innovative approaches to leadership;
Worked together collaboratively to accomplish a team goal; and
Exemplified the actions of a highly effective team.

Submit Your Nomination for the 2025 Team Impact Award

Entries accepted until May 2, 2025.

Nomination Form

Team Impact Award winners
Year	Winner(s)	Description
2024	International Student Programs (ISP)	The International Students Program's mission is to assist international students upon being accepted to Caltech. From an immersive (and educational) orientation program to providing support all year in relation to visa issues, travel concerns, as well as adapting to an American educational system, ISP makes life at Caltech infinitely more manageable and enjoyable for many international students. Through their many programs (breakfasts, lunches, intercultural discussion group, world fests, movie screenings, decompression events etc.), ISP establishes a deep sense of community within Caltech. This is much needed for the first year or two as an international student, and especially for those who come to the US for the first time.
2024	Office of Student Experience	Among its many programs that support Caltech students, OSE was honored for the Caltech Summer Ambassador (CSA) program. Together with the Student-Faculty Programs Office, OSE selects, trains, and supports 27 student leaders who welcome non-Caltech students (approximately 350) to the Caltech community and ensure that they have received both support and social engagement during their time on campus.
2023	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	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	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	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	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	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	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	Center for Teaching, Learning, & Outreach	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.