Our Award Categories and the Experts Cheering Them on

In each of our 10 categories, the Katerva Awards utilize 6-8 specialized experts to select the winner among all qualifying nominees. In addition, a group of support experts is organized to assist in non-category specific areas of expertise (for example: financial development, public policy, urban impact, etc). Here is a brief rundown of what each category entails and an opportunity to meet the panelists.

"Behavior is the mirror in which every one displays his own image." -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Poet
Even when new technologies come out weekly, people can often be a mass of unchanging habits. This category covers those initiatives that educate people, raise awareness, and work towards better morals and habits at a global level. The best technologies can do little to save the planet if individuals do not decide to use them. Meet the panel experts.

"Avoid being on a fixed wage."-Indian Proverb
Money may make the world go around, but fair values and free markets make it a more enjoyable ride. Recent economic events have thrusted many global economic weaknesses into the spotlight. This category includes works to implant transparency, remove barriers, and internalize costs. The pinnacle of economic sustainability is making market price equal true value. Meet the panel experts.

"It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan." -Eleanor Roosevelt, Civil Rights Advocate
The global energy equation is one quite damaging to the atmosphere and and environment. Carbon emissions are perhaps the largest problem to result from current energy systems. This category covers new technologies and innovations in energy production, storage, and delivery. It also includes technologies and initiatives focused on cleaning up current power systems. Meet the panel experts.

"Food is our common ground, a universal experience." -James Beard, Chef
A global human population of 7 billion demands large strides in food production and security. This category involves those efforts made to improve output and efficiency of farmland and fisheries and reduce their effect on environmental systems. As well, this category covers innovations involving efficient water use and sustainable and safe alternative food supplies. Meet the panel experts.

"Gender equality is a precondition to overcoming starvation, poverty and epidemics." -Khalid Malik, Civil Servant
Entire societies develop for the better when women are enabled to be fully contributing community members. Strides in gender equality lead to strides against all forms of discrimination. This category covers programming and initiatives designed to improve the overall state of women, provide them with more opportunities, and defend their right to equal treatment alongside men. Meet the panel experts.

"Humanity is just a work in progress."-Tennessee Williams, Playwright
In October 2011 the global human population reached 7 billion. Now more than ever before, issues related to population density, poverty, peace, and security are on the minds of some of the planet’s biggest thinkers. This category covers all initiatives related to maintaining and improving the quality of life for all people despite the growing population. Meet the panel experts.

"Pollution is nothing but the resources we are not harvesting."-Richard Buckminster Fuller, Inventor
A truly sustainable world is one that produces not a single grain of waste. This require efforts at both ends of the waste cycle. Resources must be used hyper-efficiently and materials must be made entirely recyclable. This category covers advancements in man-made materials, resource efficiency, and waste reduction. Meet the panel experts.

"Conservation is humanity caring for the future."-Nancy Newhall, Critic
Space is one very finite resource our planet has to offer. Efforts must be made to create sustainable systems by which important environments are replaced at the same rate or faster than they are used. This category covers programs to protect and regenerate forests, oceans, and other limited environments as well as initiatives to create sustainable land use processes. Meet the panel experts.

"Ambition is the path to success, persistence is the vehicle you arrive in." -William Eardley IV, Public Servant
Regardless of the advancement of communication systems and automated processes, we will always need ways to get things (including ourselves) from point A to point B. This category covers innovations and efforts leading to safe and accessible, low- or zero-carbon transportation forms and efforts to improve current methods of mass transportation of materials. Meet the panel experts.

"The road to success is always under construction" -Lily Tomlin, Actress
The continued growth of the global human population demands changes to infrastructure and living spaces. As well, food, energy, communications, water, and other resource delivery systems need to be upgraded and streamlined. This category covers the creation of energy efficient and sustainable remakes of the current systems in place to house and support people. Meet the panel experts.