Leadership Excellence Awards
Recognizing the leaders shaping the future of laboratories
The Lab Manager Leadership Excellence Awards celebrate laboratory professionals who demonstrate exceptional leadership, management, innovation, safety, and operational excellence within their organizations.
Presented annually at the Leadership Summit, these awards recognize individuals who go above and beyond to support their teams, strengthen their organizations, and advance the laboratory profession.
Nominations for the 2027 Leadership Excellence Awards will open in October, 2026. Winners will be recognized at the 2027 Leadership Summit in Salt Lake City, Utah.
About the awards
Celebrating excellence in laboratory leadership
Now entering its sixth year, the Leadership Excellence Awards recognize laboratory professionals who have made meaningful contributions to their organizations through exceptional leadership, management, safety, quality, sustainability, and operational performance.
Whether leading teams through change, improving workplace culture, strengthening safety programs, driving innovation, or achieving exceptional results, award recipients represent the very best of the laboratory leadership community.
Individuals may nominate themselves or be nominated by a colleague.
Why nominate?
Recognition that extends beyond the laboratory
The Leadership Excellence Awards provide an opportunity to celebrate achievements that often happen behind the scenes.
Benefits of participating
- Gain recognition for exceptional leadership and accomplishments
- Celebrate the success of your team and organization
- Share innovative solutions and lessons learned
- Highlight measurable contributions and impact
- Inspire future laboratory leaders
- Receive visibility across the Lab Manager community
Award recipients receive
- Recognition during the Leadership Summit Awards Ceremony
- Complimentary registration to the Leadership Summit
- A commemorative award
- Featured editorial coverage in Lab Manager
- Industry-wide recognition among peers and colleagues
Award categories
Honoring excellence across laboratory leadership
Overall Lab Manager Excellence Award
Recognizes an individual who exemplifies the leadership, management, and operational skills required to successfully lead a laboratory organization.
Excellence in Lab Leadership
Recognizes an individual who demonstrates exceptional leadership of people, including employee engagement, staff development, mentorship, and team performance.
Excellence in Lab Management
Recognizes an individual who has achieved outstanding organizational performance through effective laboratory management, operational excellence, quality systems, and strategic execution.
Excellence in Safety Leadership
Recognizes an individual who has created a strong culture of safety, improved employee well-being, reduced risk, and advanced safety performance within their organization.
Excellence in Lab Sustainability
Recognizes an individual who has successfully implemented sustainable laboratory practices and demonstrated leadership in environmental responsibility.
Young Lab Manager Excellence Award
Recognizes an emerging laboratory leader under the age of 40 who has exceeded expectations and demonstrated exceptional leadership potential.
Past Winners
Celebrating leadership excellence across the laboratory community
Over the years, the Leadership Excellence Awards have recognized laboratory professionals from a wide range of organizations, disciplines, and industries who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, innovation, and impact.
These individuals have strengthened their teams, improved operations, advanced safety and quality programs, developed future leaders, and helped move the laboratory profession forward.
Leadership excellence takes many forms.
Our past winners represent a diverse group of laboratory professionals united by a shared commitment to supporting their teams, advancing their organizations, and making a lasting impact on the scientific community.
Hall of Excellence
Six years of recognizing laboratory leadership
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Who is eligible?
Nominate yourself or a colleague
The Leadership Excellence Awards are open to laboratory professionals working within scientific organizations, research institutions, academic laboratories, healthcare environments, government organizations, and industrial laboratories.
Eligible nominees may include:
- Laboratory managers
- Laboratory directors
- TPrincipal investigators
- Safety leaders
- Quality professionals
- Operations leaders
- Supervisors
- Department managers
- Other professionals with significant leadership responsibilities
Show the impact
What makes a strong nomination?
The strongest nominations demonstrate measurable outcomes and real-world impact.
Examples may include:
- Improved employee engagement
- Enhanced safety performance
- Increased productivity
- Operational improvements
- Quality professionals
- Successful organizational change initiatives
- Team development and mentorship
- Sustainability achievements
- Quality and compliance improvements
Whenever possible, include quantitative data, examples, and specific accomplishments.
Helpful examples
Strong nominations often include measurable outcomes such as:
- Increased productivity by a specific percentage
- Improved employee retention or engagement
- Reduced safety incidents
- Enhanced quality performance
- Successful implementation of new programs or initiatives
- Team promotions and professional development achievements
Celebrating leadership at the Summit
Leadership Excellence Awards Ceremony
Award recipients will be honored during a special Leadership Excellence Awards ceremony held as part of the 2027 Leadership Summit.
The ceremony provides an opportunity for the laboratory community to recognize and celebrate individuals whose leadership has made a meaningful impact on their teams, organizations, and the profession as a whole.
Important dates
Key milestones for the 2027 awards program
Follow the journey from nominations to the awards ceremony. Explore the key milestones for the 2027 Leadership Excellence Awards and stay on top of important dates throughout the program.
October 2026
Nominations open
December 2026
Nominations close
Winter 2026/2027
Judging period
Spring 2027
Winners are notified
April 13, 2027
Awards ceremony
Leadership Summit
Salt Lake City, Utah
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Self-nominations are welcome and encouraged.
No. There is no fee to submit a nomination.
Yes. However, an individual may only receive one award.
Eligible nominees should have significant leadership responsibilities within a scientific organization and typically oversee teams, programs, operations, quality systems, safety initiatives, or laboratory performance.
Submissions are reviewed by an independent panel of judges who evaluate each nominee based on leadership impact, measurable results, and overall contribution.
Award winners will be contacted directly in early spring 2027 with additional details about the awards ceremony and next steps.
Winners are strongly encouraged to attend and will be recognized during the awards ceremony as part of the Summit.
Individual feedback on submissions is not provided due to the volume of entries received.
Yes. Multiple nominations may be submitted, but each nominee must be entered separately.
Submit a nomination
Help us recognize exceptional leadership
Great laboratory leaders make a difference every day.
Help us celebrate the individuals who are advancing the profession, supporting their teams, and shaping the future of laboratory leadership.
Submit a Nomination
Complete the form to submit your nomination.
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Questions?
We’d be happy to help
Questions about eligibility, nominations, judging, or the awards process?
Email us at leadershipawards@labmanager.com or fill out the form on our Contact Us page.