California Air Resources Board

Accepting nominations from the public for the 2024/2025 Haagen-Smit Clean Air Awards

Background

Considered the “Nobel Prize” in air quality achievement, CARB’s Clean Air Awards in honor of Dr. Arie Haagen-Smit have been given annually since 2001 to individuals who have made transformative contributions toward air quality and/or addressing climate change. CARB’s award is named after Dr. Arie Haagen-Smit whose pioneering research found that most of California's smog resulted from photochemistry (when exhaust from motor vehicles and industrial facilities react with sunlight to create ozone). This scientific breakthrough led to a complete transformation of air pollution control not only in California but also around the world. Indeed, Dr. Haagen-Smit, as CARB’s first chairperson, helped to lead the way in leveraging scientific foundations for the establishment of health protective air quality policies and standards.

The Haagen-Smit Clean Air Award recognizes those who embody Dr. Haagen-Smit’s legacy, with work that similarly has substantial and lasting impacts on how air pollution and climate change are fought – whether by advancing science and technology itself or by leading environmental policy goals and achievements. In keeping with Dr. Haagen-Smit’s globally relevant legacy, plus the international aspects of CARB’s ongoing leadership, the Haagen-Smit Clean Air Award honors those with international accomplishments as well as those who have acted locally.

Awards may be given each year in any, or each, of the following categories related to improving air quality and/or climate change:

• Education
• Environmental Justice
• International Work (work performed outside the United States)
• Policy
• Research / Science / Technology

In a single year, some categories may have no winners. If a nominee does not win an award, nominators should reapply in future years.

More about previous Haagen-Smit Clean Air Award Recipients.

Selection Criteria

The selection criteria are inspired by the life and achievements of Dr. Arie Haagen-Smit, and award winners are chosen who embody Dr. Haagen-Smit's qualities of excellence and dedication to cleaner air. Following are the criteria for awarding Haagen-Smit Clean Air Awards:  

1. Exceptional and transformative contributions: Nominees should have a record of exceptional achievements in improving air quality and/or climate change that distinguish them from others in their field, in terms of dedication, leadership, and innovation.
2. Widespread impacts: A nominee's work should result in substantial, widespread, and lasting impacts to improve air quality and/or climate change in the areas of education, environmental justice, international work, policy, research, or science / technology. 
3. Novel accomplishments: The work of a nominee should include novel accomplishments that are innovative and align with a vision for a clean air future, with influence that grows.
4. Exceptional leadership and achievements can be lifetime achievements or achievements in a nominee’s career to date. Nominees who are midway in their careers should demonstrate influence at the state, national, or international level, as well as promise for future achievements.

Nomination & Selection Process

Evidence of the selection criteria qualities should be demonstrated via:

1. Nominee’s curriculum vitae or resume.
2. At least 3 (three), but no more than 5 (five), letters of recommendation. Letters of recommendation must include writer’s name, affiliation, email address, the statement “Letter of Recommendation to Be Kept Confidential: Yes / No”, and signature.
3. Nominee's accomplishments (1,000-word limit). Describe how the nominee’s accomplishments meet the Haagen-Smit Clean Air Awards selection criteria of 1) Exceptional and transformative contributions that distinguish them from others in their field, in terms of dedication, leadership, and innovation; 2) Widespread impacts that have resulted insubstantial and lasting impacts; 3) Novel accomplishments that are innovative and align with a vision for a clean air future, with influence that grows; 4) Exceptional leadership and achievements; nominees who are midway in their careers should demonstrate influence at the state, national, or international level, as well as promise for future achievements.
4. Nomination Form

Only living candidates may be nominated for a Haagen-Smit Clean Air Award.

New nominations, as well as nominations for outstanding individuals nominated in prior years but who have not yet won, are welcome and encouraged.

For this round of awards, CARB will be particularly interested in candidates that have made substantial contributions to advance the science that forms a solid foundation for state, national, and international actions to achieve clean air and a healthy climate. 

Please send the nomination form, along with the Nominee’s curriculum vitae or resume, letters of recommendation, and description of accomplishments to:

Haagen-Smit.Awards@arb.ca.gov

Nomination packages must be complete by January 9, 2026, 5pm PST. Nomination packages are not complete until all supporting material items have been provided; Nominators will be notified via email from Haagen-Smit.Awards@arb.ca.gov when the nomination package is complete.

The Haagen-Smit Clean Air Award Advisory Committee (AC) reviews all nominations and recommends the final candidates for a Clean Air Award to the California Air Resources Board. The Committee is comprised of former Haagen-Smit Awardees who are not current employees or members of the California Air Resources Board, who have been invited to serve by the Air Resources Board Chair. The following former awardees are currently serving on the AC: Dr. Alan Lloyd, Ms. Fran Pavley, Dr. Anumita Roychowdhury, Dr. Barbara Finlayson-Pitts and Ms. Margo Oge. 

Awards Selection, Announcements, & Events

Awards will be announced in Summer of 2026, with conferral currently scheduled for late September 2026.

Along with the awards presentation, winners are invited to share their work with CARB staff and interested members of the public at the annual “Clean Air Leadership Talks”. This event usually takes place the day of, before, or after the Board's presentation of the awards.

Check CARB's Haagen-Smit Clean Air Awards webpage for announcements and updates.