Leonardo da Vinci created plans for amazing inventions years before their time. In his spirit, the da Vinci Awards honors individuals, organizations, and corporations for “innovations that empower people at all levels of ability.” These innovations include products, services, or even facilities—in 2003, Universal Parks and Resorts won an award for its “Men in Black Alien Attack” ride, which is accessible to all visitors, including people using wheelchairs.

The da Vinci Awards were created when in 2000 longtime Society volunteer and physicist Michael Rokosz brought the Engineering Society of Detroit together with the Michigan Chapter of the Society to establish this unique national award program. Nominees come from a number of countries and represent a range of sciences, technologies, and industries. To submit a nomination, or to learn more about past and present winners, visit the da Vinci Awards.