Gary Dickinson Award for Teaching Excellence

Established in 2001, this award recognizes an outstanding middle school teacher or a team of teachers who have made creative and exemplary use of the A World In Motion (AWIM) program to further develop students' understanding and experience in math, science and engineering.

To be eligible for this award, nominees must be middle school teachers (individuals or teams) from public, parochial, or private schools, and must have demonstrated exemplary use of the AWIM program curriculum.

This award was funded by the SAE Detroit Section to commemorate the life of industry leader, Gary Dickinson, and is intended to foster math and science education for middle school students.

Dickinson played a major role in the development of the A World In Motion program Motorized Toy Car and Glider Challenges for middle school students as the Chairman of the Vision 2000 Advisory Committee. His dedication to students was also evidenced by his leadership with the student design competitions, particularly the Methanol Marathon, the NGV Challenge, and the Solar Car competitions.

In addition, Dickinson served as the first chairman of the Emerging Technologies Advisory Board and was actively involved with the Mobility Technology Planning Forums, which brought a future technology focus to SAE. Also, his early involvement in the SAE Government/Industry Meeting was significant in linking SAE with the government. In recognition of his outstanding achievements, Dickinson was awarded the SAE Medal of Honor in 1994 and the Long-Term Leadership Award in 2000.

This award consists of a framed certificate and an honorarium presented to the teacher and middle school.