The IEEE Systems, Man, and Cybernetics (SMC) Society’s Technical Committee on Cyber Humanities (TCCH) serves the interests of its members and the community at large by promoting a transdisciplinary approach on humanities. This is accomplished via international conferences, peer-reviewed publications, and other opportunities so as to contribute to the professional needs of its members.
The IEEE TCCH has established an Awards Program to recognize the brightest professionals and scientists for their outstanding discoveries and contributions in the field. The award ceremony is held annually at the IEEE CH conference.
Please send your nominations together with a short endorsement letter to TCCH chair emanuele.bellini@ieee.org. Nominations should be received at least four weeks before the start date of the IEEE CH conference.
IEEE TCCH Outstanding Leadership Award
The IEEE Technical Committee on Cyber-Humanities Outstanding Leadership Award honors individuals who have demonstrated exceptional vision, dedication, and leadership in advancing the field of cyber-humanities. The award recognizes those who foster collaboration between computer sciences and the humanities across technology, science, and business domains, while inspiring new research directions and applications across disciplines. It celebrates leaders whose commitment and inspiration are shaping the field’s strategic directions and elevating the visibility of this emerging community.
IEEE TCHS Research and Innovation Award
The IEEE Technical Committee on Cyber-Humanities Research and Innovation Award recognizes outstanding achievements in advancing research, creativity, and technological innovation at the intersection of cyber technologies and the humanities. This award honors individuals or teams whose pioneering work has significantly expanded knowledge, fostered interdisciplinary collaboration, or generated novel applications that bridge humanistic inquiry with digital, cyber, and computational methods.
IEEE TCHS High impact Innovation Award
High Impact Innovation Award recognizes individuals or teams whose groundbreaking contributions have introduced transformative ideas, methods, or technologies that create significant and measurable impact. This award celebrates innovations that move beyond theory to change practice, shape new directions, and inspire broad adoption within and beyond the community.
IEEE TCCH Education and Training Award
This award recognizes outstanding contributions to advancing education, training, and capacity-building at the intersection of technology and the humanities. The award honors individuals or teams who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, creativity, and impact in designing, delivering, or promoting initiatives that foster interdisciplinary knowledge, integrate emerging digital and cyber technologies including AI into humanities contexts, and prepare learners for future societal and technological challenges.
IEEE TCHS Outstanding Service Award
This award recognizes individuals for their outstanding service in building the TCCH community and advancing the transdisciplinary vision of Cyber-Humanities. It honors those whose sustained volunteer efforts and achievements — such as contributions to the organization of IEEE Cyber-Humanities events — have significantly strengthened and promoted the growth of the field.
The IEEE International Conference on Cyber Humanities recognizes outstanding researchers who make substantial contributions to the advancement of cyber humanities domain inspiring other members of the community with their pioneering research and innovation. The awards process:
the IEEE CH Awards Committee is established with members of IEEE CH Organsising committee and is chaired by IEEE CH Chairs;
considers papers from both the conference and its associated workshops; and
excludes papers from the IEEE CH Awards Committee.
An initial list of five top-ranked candidate papers will be compiled based on the papers’ overall review score. The award criteria to consider include the technical quality, novelty, potential impact, editorial quality, and presentation quality of the paper. There will be up to five winners per year.
The authors of a winning paper will be announced on the IEEE CH website and will receive an official award certificate during the awards ceremony at the IEEE CH event. Moreover, they will be invited to submit an extended version of their paper in a special issue of an international peer-review journal, depending on the availability of a post-publication agreement.
IEEE CH Best Paper Award
This award is established to recognize and promote high-quality contributions to theoretical and practical aspects of cyber humanities including all the cultural assets lifecycle.
2025 Award Recipients
Prof. Moshe Vardi, Rice University – Outstanding Leadership Award
Dr. Massimo Bernaschi, GARR – Research Innovation Award
Prof. Pietro Liò, Cambridge University – Research Innovation Award
Prof. Ernesto Damiani, Khalifa University – Research Innovation Award
Dr. David Giaretta – High Impact Innovation Award
Prof. Ines Vodopivec, A4LAM – Education and Training Award
Dr. Sally Chambers, British Library – Education and Training Award
Prof. Giovanni Adorni, University of Genova – Education and Training Award
Prof. Emeri Farinetti, University of Rome Tre – Outstanding Service Award
Prof. George Pavlidis ATHENA Institute – Outstanding Service Award
Dr. Alessia Spadi, CNR/DARIAH – Outstanding Service Award
Dr. Raffaella Santucci – Outstanding Service Award