Education / Meritorious / Service Awards

The American Welding Society presents this annual award to recognize exceptional Senior Certified Welding Inspectors (SCWI) and Certified Welding Inspectors (CWI) who demonstrate the highest levels of professionalism, technical competence, and integrity in visual welding inspection.

Award recipients are known for delivering reliable, efficient, and impactful work that supports quality, safety, and compliance across a range of industries. They communicate clearly and objectively, maintain accurate and timely documentation, and are trusted by the teams and organizations they serve.

Through their contributions, these professionals advance the standards of welding inspection and make a lasting impact on the industry. This award highlights excellence in inspection worldwide and encourages greater awareness, recognition, and participation in the profession.

Nomination portal will be available by the end of Q2 2026

The Howard E. Adkins Instructor Membership Award is sponsored by Mrs. Wilma Adkins and family, and is given as a means of recognizing high school, trade school, technical institute or community college instructors whose teaching activities are considered to have advanced the knowledge of welding to students in their respective schools.

This award is recognized at the National, District and Section levels. The nominee is selected at least 12 months in advance of FABTECH. Selections are made during the annual District Conference meetings for all three levels. District and Section level recognitions are automatic but National level nominee information is submitted to the AWS Education Committee for final selection.

• A National nomination form must be completed and submitted, along with an introduction letter of support and a complete resume or CV of the individual's qualifications. Send only complete National nominations to nationalawards@aws.org by August 1.

This award, established by the American Welding Society, is given as a means of recognizing educators whose teaching activities are considered to have advanced the knowledge of welding of the undergraduate or postgraduate students in their respective engineering institutions.

Complete nomination packets may be submitted for consideration to the AWS Awards Committee and must include an introduction letter of support and a complete resume or CV of the individual’s qualifications. Send only complete nominations to nationalawards@aws.org by January 1.

This award was established to honor a charter member of the American Welding Society and the AWS representative to the first organizational meeting of the International Institute of Welding. It is intended to foster interest in United States participation in the work of the international organization. It is awarded to a member of the American Council of the International Institute of Welding or to an AWS member who, in the opinion of the Awards Committee, has made a substantial contribution to the activities of the International Institute of Welding.

• The deadline for submitting complete nomination packets to the Awards Committee is January 1.
• Complete nomination packets may be submitted for consideration to the AWS Awards Committee and must include an introduction letter of support and a complete resume or CV of the individual's qualifications. Send only complete nominations to nationalawards@aws.org.