Nominate an Emerging Leader in Computing: CRA 2025 Early Career Awards

By Lauren Lashlee, Senior Program Associate, CRA-WP

The Computing Research Association (CRA), in collaboration with its Widening Participation Committee (CRA-WP), is pleased to invite nominations for the 2025 CRA Early Career Awards. These awards are given to early-career individuals who demonstrate the potential for impactful contributions and leadership in their field of research as well as in the mission to increase participation in computing careers from populations who are underrepresented in computing research.

The CRA Early Career Awards consist of two honors:

 

CRA Anita Borg Early Career Award 

Named in honor of Dr. Anita Borg, a groundbreaking computer scientist and a relentless advocate for women in technology, the CRA Anita Borg Early Career Award celebrates a researcher in computing who exemplifies both research excellence and commitment to expanding opportunities for women in the field. Dr. Borg, who was an early CRA-WP member, pioneered projects that opened doors for women in technology worldwide, including founding the Institute for Women in Technology (now AnitaB.org) and co-founding the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing. She envisioned a future where women would play active roles in the technical and design aspects of technology. 

 

CRA Skip Ellis Early Career Award 

Named in honor of Dr. Clarence “Skip” Ellis, the CRA Skip Ellis Early Career Award recognizes early-career researchers who exemplify Dr. Ellis’s pioneering spirit and commitment to inclusion. Dr. Ellis was a visionary computer scientist and the first African American to earn a PhD in computer science (University of Illinois, 1969). He also became the first African American ACM Fellow, a testament to his groundbreaking work in collaborative software systems and office automation. His research contributed foundational insights that shaped modern computer science, particularly in the area of distributed systems. Throughout his career, Dr. Ellis was a dedicated mentor and advocate, inspiring new generations to pursue computing, regardless of background. 

Please share this announcement with your networks to help identify and celebrate deserving candidates who are excelling in research and driving inclusivity in computing.

 

Updated Eligibility Criteria 

The eligibility criteria for the CRA Early Career Awards have been broadened to include nominees who are not themselves from populations underrepresented in computing but have actively worked to support and increase the participation of individuals from underrepresented populations in computing research.

The nominee must be an individual who has:

• Made significant research contributions,
• Had positive and significant impact on advancing diversity in the computing research community,
• Is a relatively early-career faculty member or researcher (at most 8 years post-PhD as of January 1 of the award year) in an industry or government lab, and
• Is affiliated with an institution, industry lab, or government lab in the United States, its territories, or Canada.

CRA encourages nominations of early-career individuals who are from populations underrepresented in computing research, including Women, LGBTQIA+, Persons with Disabilities, Black, African American, Hispanic, Latino/a/x, Native American, and/or from tribal colleges and universities (TCU), historically black colleges and universities (HBCU), and other minority serving institutions (MSI).

Nominations for the 2025 Early Career Awards will be accepted until January 31, 2025 9:00 pm ET. For full details on the awards, eligibility criteria, and the nomination process, please visit the CRA Early Career Awards page.