Nominations are open for the 2026 Lab Manager Leadership Excellence Awards, celebrating the leaders who deliver innovation, safety, and operational excellence in laboratories worldwide
Every great laboratory depends on leaders who set a clear vision, guide their teams through challenges, and move science forward. The Lab Manager Leadership Excellence Awards return for their fifth year to recognize the individuals who keep innovation on track, champion their staff, and strengthen their organization’s mission every day.
Honoring the best in lab management and leadership
This international awards program highlights professionals who demonstrate outstanding performance in management, safety, and leadership across scientific organizations. Whether improving operations, inspiring collaboration, or embedding sustainability into daily work, these leaders show what it means to run a lab with purpose and integrity.
Nominations are open to all lab professionals. You can nominate yourself or a colleague who exemplifies excellence in one or more of the following categories:
- Overall Lab Manager Excellence Award – Recognizing broad excellence in leadership and operations.
- Excellence in Lab Leadership – Honoring those who build strong, engaged teams.
- Excellence in Lab Management – Celebrating results-driven leaders who strengthen lab performance and quality.
- Young Lab Manager Excellence Award – Highlighting rising leaders under 40 making a measurable impact.
- Excellence in Safety Leadership – Recognizing champions of a proactive safety culture.
- Excellence in Lab Sustainability – Celebrating those advancing environmentally responsible science.
Recognition at the 2026 Leadership Summit
Award winners will be recognized during a ceremony at the 2026 Lab Manager Leadership Summit on April 21 in Phoenix, Arizona, where they’ll join fellow leaders for three days of learning and collaboration. Winners will also be featured in Lab Manager content to share their insights with the wider laboratory community.
What makes a great nomination
Strong nominations tell the story behind the leadership—how the nominee guided a team, solved a pressing challenge, or improved operations. Specific examples, measurable results, and personal reflections on what leadership means in a lab setting will help entries stand out to the judges.
Deadline: December 5, 2025
Take this opportunity to highlight a leader who makes a difference in your organization, or share your own story of leadership growth. Submit your nomination at summit.labmanager.com/leadershipawards.
