Our working group and committee members make Bluetooth technology the best it can be.
Working groups have been the driving force behind Bluetooth® technology, delivering innovations that help make the Internet of Things (IoT) a reality.
Every year, the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) celebrates the hard work and commitment of working groups, committee members, and contributors who have been recognized by their peers as making a difference in advancing Bluetooth technology. Thank you to the winners, and to all of our working group and committee members, for their dedication and contribution this year.
2021 Winners
See what this year’s award winners had to say during the Virtual Member Awards Program.
Outstanding New Technical Contributor
Sophia Feil
Systems Engineer and Project Manager
Expleo Germany GmbH
Audio, Telephony, and Automotive Working Group
A systems engineer and project manager with Expleo Germany GmbH, Sophia has worked with the Bluetooth SIG since 2019, supporting Bluetooth development in diverse working groups. Vice-Chair of the Audio, Telephony, and Automotive Working Group since 2020 and representative of the CE4A, Sophia played a key role in developing Bluetooth automotive-relevant features and supporting the organization of interoperability test sessions (IOTS) between CE-device manufacturers and members of CE4A.
Sophia served as editor of the Enhanced Voice Recognition Activation feature (HFP 1.8) and is currently the feature lead and main author of over five new features across multiple Bluetooth specifications.
Qing An
Standardization Expert
Alibaba Group
Mesh Working Group
Qing is a standardization expert at Alibaba Group and R&D expert in the Internet of Things. He has been leading the proposal of controlled mesh relay currently in development within the Mesh Working Group . Qing also serves as the editor for many features of the Bluetooth mesh model specifications.
Outstanding Technical Contributor
Andrew Estrada
Senior Manager, Systems Engineering
Sony Corporation
Audio, Telephony, and Automotive Working Group
After joining Silicon Wave (a new startup) as a systems engineer in 1998, Andrew participated in the development of Bluetooth technology and became an active member of the Bluetooth SIG. In 2003, he joined Sony Electronics and contributed to many Bluetooth projects, including gaming systems, 3D TV, and consumer audio. In the Bluetooth SIG, he has served as Vice-Chair, Chair of the 3D Glasses Working Group, and, more recently, as Chair of the Audio, Telephony, and Automotive Working Group. He has also served in leadership positions in other standards bodies, including IEEE, Wi-Fi, and ECMA. Andrew has a BSEE from Arizona State, an MSEE from Stanford University, and an MBA from UC San Diego.
Chris Church
Senior Software Engineer
Qualcomm
Generic Audio Working Group
As a senior staff engineer with the Qualcomm Bluetooth Standards and Technology team, Chris has worked with Bluetooth technology since 2007, participating in many different Bluetooth SIG working groups and committees. He received the Bluetooth SIG Outstanding Technical Contributor award in 2012 as editor of the LE HID specifications (HOGP, HIDS, SCPP, and DIS) and again in 2020 as editor of the LE audio specifications (BAP, ASCS, PACS, and BASS).
Angel Polo
R&D Engineer
Broadcom Incorporated
Core Specification Working Group
A distinguished R&D engineer at Broadcom Inc. and active member of the Core Specification Working Group, Angel provides significant input and contributions to the development of many Core specification features. He played a key role in the adoption of the Bluetooth Direction Finding feature, providing technical input for technical specification and qualification requirement content. Since 2019, Angel has served as Vice-Chair for the Core Specification Work Group and is a primary driver, contributor, and editor of a new Core feature.
Piotr Winiarczyk
Wireless Solutions Architect
Silvair, Inc.
Mesh Working Group
A wireless solutions architect at Silvair with 17 years of experience working in the telecommunication and software industries, Piotr specializes in developing Bluetooth mesh technology for commercial lighting systems. Piotr enjoys solving complex problems and then optimizing solutions to make them simpler. Piotr completed his Ph.D. in Physics and, in his free time, likes to ski, bike, and play board games with his family.
Szymon Slupik
CTO and Co-founder
Silvair, Inc.
Mesh Working Group
Silvair CTO and co-founder and Chair of the Mesh Working Group, Szymon has positioned Silvair as a leading smart lighting control platform service provider based on interoperable and open standards. He played an integral role in driving the development of Bluetooth mesh networking and elevating smart lighting as the primary application for this innovative wireless technology.
Author of the Mesh Model specification that lays the ground for interoperability of multi-vendor smart lighting systems, Szymon championed the close cooperation between the Bluetooth SIG and the DALI Alliance, which, in early 2021, resulted in the first specification bridging Bluetooth mesh and DALI.
Bluetooth SIG appreciation – Working Group Contributor
Alicia Courtney
Software Test Engineer
Broadcom
BTI & BQRB Working Group
A senior engineer within the Bluetooth firmware QA team at Broadcom, Alicia has been involved with working groups at the Bluetooth SIG since 2009. She reviews and comments on Test Specification Errata (TSEs) and strives to bring quick and simple resolution for any errors or inconsistencies in the Bluetooth Test documents. She has participated in countless reviews of test submissions from the various Working Groups to the Bluetooth Test and Interoperability Committee (BTI) as well as taken the editor token for several process and template documents in BTI. Recently she has assisted with the Alignment and Process Improvement (API) Task Force’s efforts to update the Errata Process Document and the Document Naming and Marking document. During the past couple years in addition to trying to navigate working during the challenges of pandemic life she was also blessed with what became a pandemic pregnancy and a surprise accidental home delivery of her third child, a baby girl in 2020. Alicia is the current Chair of the Bluetooth Qualification Review Board (BQRB) and the current Vice-Chair of BTI.
Past Winners
2020
| Recipient Name | Member Company | Category | Group |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pouria Zand | Cypress Semiconductor Corporation | Outstanding New Technical Contributor | Core Specification Working Group |
| Piergiuseppe Di Marco | Silvair, Inc. | Outstanding New Technical Contributor | Mesh Working Group |
| Andrew Estrada | Sony Corporation | Outstanding Technical Contributor of the Year | Audio, Telephony, and Automotive Working Group |
| Jori Rintahaka | Silicon Laboratories | Outstanding Technical Contributor of the Year | Mesh Working Group |
| Tomas Motos | Texas Instruments Incorporated | Outstanding Technical Contributor of the Year | Core Specification Working Group |
| Chris Church | Qualcomm | Outstanding Technical Contributor of the Year | Generic Audio Working Group |
| Piotr Winiarczyk | Silvair, Inc. | Outstanding Technical Contributor of the Year | Mesh Working Group |
| Asbjørn Saebø | Nordic Semiconductor ASA | Bluetooth SIG appreciation – Working Group Contributor | Generic Audio Working Group |
2019
| Recipient Name | Member Company | Category | Group |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mayank Batra | Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. | Working Group/Committee Chair of the Year | Core Specification Working Group |
| Szymon Slupik | Silvair, Inc. | Working Group/Committee Chair of the Year | Mesh Working Group |
| Mesh Working Group | n/a | Working Group of the Year | Mesh Working Group |
| Danilo Blasi | STMicroelectronics | Outstanding Technical Contributor of the Year | Mesh Working Group |
| Kanji Kerai | Sivantos GmbH | Outstanding Technical Contributor of the Year | Core Specification Working Group |
| Ravi Bamidi | Silvair, Inc. | Outstanding New Contributor in Bluetooth SIG Groups | Mesh Working Group |
| Robert Hughes | Intel Corporation | Chairman’s Award | n/a |
2018
| Recipient Name | Member Company | Category | Group |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mayank Batra | Qualcomm | Working Group/Committee Chair of the Year | Core Specification Working Group |
| Mesh Working Group | n/a | Working Group of the Year Award | Mesh Working Group |
| Piotr Winiarczyk | Silvair, Inc. | Outstanding Technical Contributor of the Year Award | Mesh Working Group |
| Himanshu Bhalla | Intel Corporation | Outstanding New Contributor to Bluetooth SIG Groups | Generic Audio Working Group |
| Felix Bootz | F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG | Key Contributor to Reconnection Configuration Profile and Service | Medical Devices Working Group |
| Harald Prinzhorn | F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG | Key Contributor to Insulin Delivery Profile and Service | Medical Devices Working Group |
2017
| Recipient Name | Member Company | Category | Group |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brian Redding | Qualcomm | For Outstanding Contributions to the Adoption of Bluetooth Core Specification 5 & Core Specification Supplement 7 | Core Specification Working Group |
| Clive Feather | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | For Outstanding Contributions to the Adoption of Bluetooth Core Specification 5 & Core Specification Supplement 7, For Outstanding Contributions to the Adoption of Bluetooth Core Specification Addendum 6 and For Outstanding Contributions to the Adoption of Errata Service Release 10 | Core Specification Working Group |
| Gerard Harbers | Xicato Inc. | Outstanding New Contributor in Bluetooth SIG Groups and For Outstanding Contributions to the Adoption of Mesh Device Properties 1.0 | Mesh Working Group |
| Guillaume Schatz | EM MICROELECTRONIC MARIN SA | For Outstanding Contributions to the Adoption of Fitness Machine Profile and Service | Sports & Fitness Working Group |
| Joel Linsky | Qualcomm | For Outstanding Contributions to the Adoption of Bluetooth Core Specification Addendum 6 and For Outstanding Contributions to the Adoption of Bluetooth Core Specification 5 & Core Specification Supplement 7 | Core Specification Working Group |
| Leif-Alexandre Aschehoug | Nordic Semiconductor ASA | For Outstanding Contributions to the Adoption of Fitness Machine Profile and Service and For Outstanding Contributions to the Adoption of GATT Specification Supplement | Sports & Fitness Working Group |
| Michael Ungstrup | Widex A/S | Outstanding New Contributor in Bluetooth SIG Groups | Hearing Aid Working Group |
| Olivia Bellamou-Huet | Assystem | For Outstanding Contributions to the Adoption of Message Access Profile 1.4 | Audio, Telephony, and Automotive Working Group |
| Piotr Winiarczyk | Silvair, Inc. | For Outstanding Contributions to the Adoption of Mesh Profile Specification 1.0 and For Outstanding Contributions to the Adoption of Mesh Model Specification 1.0 | Mesh Working Group and Architectural Review Board |
| Robert Hughes | Intel Corporation | For Outstanding Contributions to the Adoption of Mesh Profile Specification 1.0 | Mesh Working Group |
| Robin Heydon | Qualcomm | For Outstanding Contributions to the Adoption of Mesh Profile Specification 1.0 and For Outstanding Contributions to the Adoption of Mesh Device Properties 1.0 | Mesh Working Group and Architectural Review Board |
| Szymon Slupik | Silvair, Inc. | Working Group/Committee Chair of the Year, Working Group of the Year Award, Outstanding Technical Contributor of the Year Award and For Outstanding Contributions to the Adoption of Mesh Model Specification 1.0 | Mesh Working Group |
| Tomas Motos | Texas Instruments Incorporated | For Outstanding Contributions to the Adoption of Bluetooth Core Specification 5 & Core Specification Supplement 7 | Core Specification Working Group |
2016
| Recipient Name | Member Company | Category | Group |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mesh Working Group (Szymon and Bob) | Working Group of the Year | Mesh Working Group | |
| Robert Hughes | Intel Corporation | Working Group/Committee Chair of the Year | Mesh Working Group |
| Brian Redding | Qualcomm | Outstanding Technical Contributor of the Year | Core Specification Working Group |
| Szymon Slupik | Seed Labs Inc. | Outstanding Technical Contributor of the Year | Mesh Working Group |
| Olivia Bellamou-Huet | Berner & Mattner Systemtechnik GmbH | Outstanding New Contributor in Bluetooth SIG Groups | Audio, Telephony and Automotive & Sports and Fitness Working Groups |
| Sam Geeraerts | NXP Semiconductors | Outstanding New Contributor in Bluetooth SIG Groups | Core Specification Working Group |
| Joel Linsky | Qualcomm | For Outstanding Contributions to the Adoption of Core Specification Addendum 5 | Core Specification Working Group |
| Robert Hughes | Intel Corporation | For Outstanding Contributions to the Adoption of Transport Discovery Service | Discovery of Things Working Group |
| Jingu Choi | LG Electronics Inc. | For Outstanding Contributions to the Adoption of Transport Discovery Service | Discovery of Things Working Group |
| Chris Church | Qualcomm | For Outstanding Contributions to the Adoption of Transport Discovery Service | Discovery of Things Working Group |
| Casper Bonde | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | For Outstanding Contributions to the Adoption of Message Access Profile 1.3 | Audio, Telephony and Automotive Working Group |
| Dominik Sollfrank | Berner & Mattner Systemtechnik GmbH | For Outstanding Contributions to the Adoption of Message Access Profile 1.3 | Audio, Telephony and Automotive Working Group |
| Guillaume Schatz | Polar Electro Oy | For Outstanding Contributions to the Adoption of Cycling Power Profile & Service 1.1 | Sports and Fitness Working Group |
| Laurence Richardson | Qualcomm | For Outstanding Contributions to the Adoption of Object Transfer Profile & Service | Sports and Fitness Working Group |
| Guillaume Schatz | Polar Electro Oy | For Outstanding Contributions to the Adoption of Object Transfer Profile & Service | Sports and Fitness Working Group |
| Robert Hughes | Intel Corporation | For Outstanding Contributions to the Adoption of Object Transfer Profile & Service | Sports and Fitness Working Group |
| Leif-Alexandre Aschehoug | Nordic Semiconductor ASA | For Outstanding Contributions to the Adoption of Object Transfer Profile & Service | Sports and Fitness Working Group |