Established in 1980 by the New York Section of the Illuminating Engineering Society and administered by it under IES auspices, this grant supports people aged 35 and under who are studying or working in the art and science of illumination anywhere in North America. Applicants submit proposed, in-progress or completed work involving light, judged on whether the conceptual or applied use of light solves or illuminates a problem in a genuinely new way. Because it accepts both students and working professionals and judges the work rather than the credential, it is one of the few lighting awards a self-taught or non-traditional applicant can win. The 2026 application cycle is live; award amounts and dates are published with each call.