The annual Santa Fe Institute and Santa Fe Alliance for Science Prize for Scientific Excellence and Prize for Outstanding Teacher awards recognizes those members of the local Santa Fe area high schools who best embody the spirit of scientific pursuit found at the Santa Fe Institute. Since 2008, the Santa Fe Alliance for Science has cosponsored the prize with the Santa Fe Institute.
The Prize for Scientific Excellence is awarded to one graduating senior from each of the Santa Fe high schools. The students are selected by their teachers for academic excellence, originality and creativity in either the sciences, mathematics, or computer science. The prize includes a cash award, a certificate of recognition, and an autographed copy of The Quark and the Jaguar by Murray Gell-Mann, SFI Distinguished Fellow and 1969 Nobel Laureate in Physics.
The Prize for Outstanding Teacher is awarded to a single Santa Fe area high school teacher who demonstrates special achievement in advancing science education, as recognized by the educational community. The prize includes a cash award and a certificate of recognition.