The SPEC Achievement Awards
To accomplish its goals, SPEC relies on many volunteers who come from vendors, universities, research labs and other member organizations. While most of our volunteers are paid by their organizations to work with SPEC, many go above and beyond to ensure SPEC remains a premier organization that regularly makes vital new contributions to our industry.
SPEC acknowledges these members through its annual awards program, which includes three awards honoring different types of contribution, as well as the Kaivalya Dixit Distinguished Dissertation Award selected by a special SPEC Research Group (SPEC/RG) committee.
The SPEC Presidential Award
This is SPEC's highest honor, recognizing one person annually who has provided outstanding service and leadership to SPEC over a significant period of time.
This year’s SPEC Presidential Award recognizes someone who has served in many roles across SPEC for several decades, providing technical, creative and leadership expertise to numerous initiatives.
The 2025 SPEC Presidential Award
The Kaivalya Dixit Distinguished Dissertation Award
The Kaivalya Dixit Distinguished Dissertation Award, named in memory of SPEC's long-time president Kaivalya Dixit, honors outstanding dissertations within the scope of the SPEC Research Group. The award encompasses a diverse range of entries, including the design of metrics for system evaluation as well as the development of methodologies, techniques and tools for measurement, load testing, profiling, workload characterization, dependability, and efficiency evaluation of computing systems.
The 2024 Kaivalya Dixit Distinguished Dissertation Award Winner
The SPECtacular Award
This award is for individuals who have significantly exceeded expectations in their contributions to SPEC during the course of the last year or over several years. It is typically given to someone who has led development of a new benchmark or tool, or has made extraordinary contributions to a SPEC committee.
The SPEC Impact Award
This award is given to individuals or a team that made significant contributions to a Group or a Committee.
Special Recognition
This year SPEC presented Special Recognition to Elden Sodowsky for his 20 years of dedicated legal counsel to SPEC!
Elden's engineering and legal background has uniquely benefited SPEC for more than two decades, guiding it through legal complexities. He has streamlined bylaws, managed trademarks, navigated US BIS export control restrictions, and facilitated the SPEC/EEMBC merger. Elden's strategic legal counsel has been invaluable in protecting and advancing SPEC and we value his contributions.