Intel CEO, Stanford Dean Lead 2026 AAEOY Honorees

SANTA CLARA, CA – May 01, 2026 – The Asian American Engineer of the Year (AAEOY) Award Executive Committee has unveiled the first wave of its 2025-2026 awardees, recognizing a distinguished group of leaders whose work is shaping the future of technology, science, and sustainability. Headlining the announcement are Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan, who will receive the Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award, and Dr. Arun Majumdar, the inaugural Dean of the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, who is honored with the Distinguished Leadership in Science and Technology Award.

The announcement precedes the annual AAEOY Award and Conference, a premier event that will return to Silicon Valley on September 18-19, 2026, at the Santa Clara Convention Center. The gathering celebrates the profound contributions of Asian American professionals across industry, academia, and public service.

A Legacy of Excellence and Inspiration

Founded in 2002 as a cornerstone of National Engineers Week, the AAEOY Award has become a venerable institution. For over two decades, it has served as a beacon of inspiration for the global STEM community, honoring more than 300 professionals. The roster of past honorees includes nine Nobel Laureates, an astronaut, pioneering academics, and prominent corporate executives, underscoring the award's prestige and the caliber of talent it recognizes.

The award program is a flagship initiative of the Chinese Institute of Engineers in USA (CIE-USA), a nonprofit professional organization with a rich history stretching back to 1917. As one of the oldest and most respected Chinese American engineering associations, CIE-USA has long been dedicated to promoting STEM fields, supporting leadership development, and celebrating the achievements of Asian American professionals through its seven regional chapters nationwide.

Honoring a Lifetime of Transformative Leadership

The Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award for Lip-Bu Tan recognizes a career marked by visionary leadership and transformative impact. Appointed CEO of Intel Corporation in March 2025, Tan is steering the semiconductor giant through a critical transformation. His strategy includes a significant focus on expanding Intel's foundry services to manufacture chips for other companies, a pivotal shift for the iconic firm.

Under his leadership, Intel has demonstrated what industry analysts call “continued and steady progress,” particularly in its data center business, which has benefited from surging demand for artificial intelligence. Since his appointment, the company's stock has appreciated by approximately 80%, reflecting renewed investor confidence. Before taking the helm at Intel, Tan served for 12 years as CEO of Cadence Design Systems, where he orchestrated a major company reinvention that doubled its revenue. A renowned venture capitalist, he also serves as chairman of Walden International. His extensive contributions to the semiconductor industry were previously recognized with the 2022 Robert N. Noyce Award, the Semiconductor Industry Association's highest honor.

Pioneering a Sustainable Future

Dr. Arun Majumdar’s selection for the Distinguished Leadership in Science and Technology Award highlights his exceptional contributions at the intersection of energy, climate science, and policy. As the inaugural Dean of the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, he is at the forefront of academic efforts to address the world’s most pressing environmental challenges.

Dr. Majumdar’s career uniquely spans academia, government, and the private sector. He was appointed by President Obama as the founding Director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E), where he established a new model for high-impact energy technology innovation. He also served as Acting Under Secretary of Energy and was Vice President for Energy at Google. At Stanford, his research explores sustainable energy systems and the use of AI for climate solutions. He is a vocal advocate for collaboration between academia and industry—including fossil-fuel companies committed to change—to tackle climate change at a “gigaton-scale.”

A Spectrum of Industry Leadership

The AAEOY awards celebrate excellence across the entire technology ecosystem. The 2025-2026 Executive of the Year awards recognize a slate of influential leaders from critical global industries:

• Dr. Xiaodong Che, Chief Technology Officer, Western Digital
• Dr. Sam Heidari, CEO, Lumotive
• Dr. Jungwon Lee, Corporate Executive Vice President, Samsung Electronics
• Dr. Liu Ren, Vice President & Chief Scientist, Bosch Research
• Mr. Brandon Wang, Vice President, Synopsys

These executives represent leadership in essential fields ranging from data storage and autonomous vehicle sensors to global consumer electronics, corporate research, and the foundational software that powers chip design. The Engineer of the Year award was presented to Ms. Vivian Ye, Principal Member of Technical Staff at AT&T, honoring her significant technical contributions within the telecommunications sector.

Cultivating the Next Generation of Innovators

Showcasing the pipeline of talent, the Most Promising Engineer of the Year Award identifies rising stars poised to become future leaders. This year’s recipients are Mr. Max Fang, Director of Architecture at Ambarella, a company specializing in AI vision processors, and Mr. Johnny Ho, CSO & Co-founder of the rapidly emerging startup Perplexity AI.

Ho’s recognition underscores the explosive growth and importance of artificial intelligence. His role as a co-founder of a key AI company and his selection as a featured speaker at the upcoming AAEOY conference highlight the award's focus on innovators at the cutting edge of technology. This category bridges the gap between established titans and emerging visionaries, illustrating the continuous flow of innovation within the Asian American STEM community.

The return of the AAEOY Award and Conference to Silicon Valley signifies a homecoming to the global hub of technology. The two-day event in September 2026 promises a comprehensive program, including technical tours, company recruiting events, a VIP networking reception, and a gala banquet to formally honor the awardees. It stands as a vital platform for celebrating current achievements while inspiring the next generation of engineers and scientists who will continue to push the boundaries of what is possible.