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SIGMOD Edgar F. Codd Innovations Award

Background:

The SIGMOD Edgar F. Codd Innovations Award is for innovative and highly significant innovations of enduring value to the development, understanding, or use of data systems. The award is given annually (if there is at least one qualified candidate) and consists of a plaque plus an honorarium of $10,000.

Until 2003, this award was known as the “SIGMOD Innovations Award.” In 2004, SIGMOD, with the unanimous approval of ACM Council, decided to rename the award to honor Dr. E.F. (Ted) Codd (1923 – 2003) who invented the relational data model and was responsible for the significant development of the database field as a scientific discipline.

Eligibility:

Anyone except the current elected officers of SIGMOD (Chair, Vice Chair, and Treasurer), and members of the SIGMOD Awards Committee. Awards should be for innovations not already honored by a major ACM Award (e.g., the Turing Award, a SIGMOD Edgar F. Codd Innovations Award, or a SIGMOD Contributions Award). A candidate can be considered for multiple awards as long as each is for a distinct innovation.

Nomination:

Anyone in the field can nominate one or more persons (self-nominations are excluded). Nominations should include a CV of the nominee, a proposed citation (up to 25 words), a succinct (100-250 words) description of the innovation, and a detailed statement to justify the nomination. Along with the nomination, up to three additional supporting letters should be submitted. Such letters should not be simple endorsements of the nomination, but convey additional factual information. The Awards Committee will evaluate all nominations and decide on zero or more winners. The Awards Committee itself is free to identify candidates for the award and is not required to pick among submitted nominations. The committee will automatically re-consider previously submitted nominations from the past two years. However, nominators are welcome to revise the supporting documents for such candidates if they so wish.

Previous winners of the Innovations Award are listed below.

H.V. Jagadish
2026H.V. Jagadishcitation
Carlo Zaniolo
2025Carlo Zaniolocitation
Samuel Madden
2024Samuel Maddencitation
Joseph M. Hellerstein
2023Joseph M. Hellersteincitation
Dan Suciu
2022Dan Suciucitation
Alon Halevy
2021Alon Halevycitation
Beng Chin Ooi
2020Beng Chin Ooicitation
Anastasia Ailamaki
2019Anastasia Ailamakicitation
Raghu Ramakrishnan
2018Raghu Ramakrishnancitation
Goetz Graefe
2017Goetz Graefecitation
Gerhard Weikum
2016Gerhard Weikumcitation
Laura Haas
2015Laura Haascitation
Martin Kersten
2014Martin Kerstencitation
Stefano Ceri
2013Stefano Cericitation
Bruce Lindsay
2012Bruce Lindsaycitation
Surajit Chaudhuri
2011Surajit Chaudhuricitation
Umeshwar Dayal
2010Umeshwar Dayalcitation
Masaru Kitsuregawa
2009Masaru Kitsuregawacitation
Moshe Y. Vardi
2008Moshe Y. Vardicitation
Jennifer Widom
2007Jennifer Widomcitation
Jeffrey D. Ullman
2006Jeffrey D. Ullmancitation
Michael Carey
2005Michael Careycitation
Ronald Fagin
2004Ronald Fagincitation
Don Chamberlin
2003Don Chamberlincitation
Patricia Selinger
2002Patricia Selingerbio
Rudolf Bayer
2001Rudolf Bayerbio
Rakesh Agrawal
2000Rakesh Agrawalbio
Hector Garcia-Molina
1999Hector Garcia-Molinabio
Serge Abiteboul
1998Serge Abiteboulbio
David Maier
1997David Maierbio
C. Mohan
1996C. Mohanbio
David DeWitt
1995David DeWittbio
Philip Bernstein
1994Philip Bernsteinbio
Jim Gray
1993Jim Graybio
Michael Stonebraker
1992Michael Stonebrakerbio

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