Kavli Foundation President Emeritus Bob Conn Receives Prestigious NAE Simon Ramo Award

The National Academy of Engineering honored Kavli Foundation President Emeritus Robert W. Conn as the 2023 recipient of its Simon Ramo Founders Award. The award was presented at the National Academy of Engineering's annual meeting on October 1, 2023.

The Simon Ramo Founders Award is the oldest award presented by the National Academy of Engineering. It was established in 1965 to honor an outstanding NAE member or international member who has upheld the ideals and principles of the NAE through professional, educational, and personal achievement and accomplishment.

Dr. Conn received the 2023 Simon Ramo Award “for shaping national science and technology policy through leadership in academia, business, and philanthropy and for seminal contributions to fusion engineering.”

“It is hard to describe what if feels like to have this award from the NAE – from my peers. I admire my fellow NAE members so much. Thank you for choosing me for this rare and prestigious award; I still say to myself, ‘You’ve got to be kidding!’ I am however so truly honored, and so very appreciative.” – Robert Conn

Dr. Conn has been a leader in academia, research, business, philanthropy, and national science and technology policy for more than 50 years. He is currently a Distinguished Policy Fellow and Pacific Rim Fellow at UC San Diego’s School of Global Policy and Strategy. From 2009 until his retirement in 2020, Dr. Conn was president and CEO of The Kavli Foundation.