2026 Bassam Z. Shakhashiri Public Science Engagement Award
The Bassam Z. Shakhashiri Public Science Engagement Award recognizes one University of Wisconsin–Madison faculty and one academic staff member who has shown excellence in engaging the public in their work in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) research. Two $5,000 awards will be announced and presented in spring 2026.
The award is named for Bassam Z. Shakhashiri, emeritus professor of chemistry and the William T. Evjue Distinguished Chair for the Wisconsin Idea, in honor of his “Science is Fun” philosophy and long-term commitment to science education and public engagement.
Photo above: Bassam Shakhashiri/Photo by Jeff Miller, UW–Madison
This award is supported by the UW–Madison’s Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation and the Morgridge Institute for Research.
STORY ABOUT THE 2025 AWARDEES:
TO MAKE A NOMINATION:
The application form is here: https://vcr-uwmadison.smapply.io/
Select the “Shakhashiri Award 2025-26” program title. The nominator may log in using their UW–Madison NetID and password. (The nominator must be actively employed at UW–Madison.) Click “Log in to Apply” to start a new application. When prompted, assign a name to the application that identifies the nominee (e.g., Smith Jane). Then, proceed through the entire application.
Nominations will consist of two parts: A cover sheet with information about the nominee and nominator and a few short questions and answers (1 paragraph each) describing how and why the nominee engages the public in science. The application may include supporting evidence (two or three pictures) of engagement. Please also provide the nominee’s CV or resume.
After completing the items above, you will be able to select “review and submit” before making your final submission. Please make sure to review the entire document before you select to “submit” it. You will also have the option to download the entire document.
Applications are due on Nov. 14, 2025, at 4:30 p.m.
Award decisions will be announced in Spring 2026.
For technical questions or for general information, please send an email to: competitions@research.wisc.edu.
Nomination materials should address the following criteria:
- Public science engagement that consistently and substantially exceeds, in quality, the expectations of their position. In keeping with the Wisconsin Idea, engagement should contribute to the individual’s department, institution and the state of Wisconsin.
- Initiative and creativity: Performance that consistently and substantially demonstrates an innovative approach to public science engagement for the common good of society.
- Type of public engagement and audiences.
- Broadened access to and participation in STEAM.
For faculty nominees:
- Address the degree to which public engagement is communicated as a priority for their research team or to which they encourage their research team to participate in Public Engagement in Science activities.
Additional details/guidelines:
Nominees must be actively employed at UW–Madison at the time of the award and cannot be self-nominated. Please nominate a single faculty or academic staff member (not teams of individuals).
About Bassam Z. Shakhashiri:
Bassam Z. Shakhashiri is emeritus professor of chemistry and the first holder of the William T. Evjue Distinguished Chair for the Wisconsin Idea at the UW–Madison. He joined the faculty in September of 1970 and retired in September 2021.
He is well known internationally for his leadership in promoting excellence in science education at all levels, for his commitment to engaging the public with science, and for his development and use of demonstrations in the teaching of chemistry in classrooms and in public settings, such as museums, convention centers, shopping malls and retirement homes. Professor Shakhashiri is best known to the public at large for his annual program, “Once Upon a Christmas Cheery, In the Lab of Shakhashiri,” seen on PBS stations around the country.
Professor Shakhashiri was the founding chair of the UW System Undergraduate Teaching Improvement Council in 1977 (now called Office of Professional and Instructional Development). From 1984 to 1990 he served as Assistant Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) for Science and Engineering Education (now called Education and Human Resources) and presided over the rebuilding of all the NSF efforts in science and engineering education after they had been essentially eliminated in the early 1980s. His leadership has helped set the annual NSF education budget at nearly $1 billion. In 2012 Professor Shakhashiri served as President of the American Chemical Society (ACS), formed the ACS Presidential Commission on Graduate Education in the Chemical Sciences, the ACS Climate Science Working Group and the ACS Global Water Initiative Working Group.
Professor Shakhashiri is an advocate for policies and practices to advance knowledge and to use science and technology to serve society. He promotes the exploration and establishment of links between science, arts and the humanities, and the elevation of discourse on significant societal issues related to science, religion, politics, the economy and ethics. His website is www.scifun.org.