Linton E. Grinter Distinguished Service Award

About the Award

The Linton E. Grinter Distinguished Service Award honors an individual whose rare commitment and enduring impact has made ABET a better organization.

For this reason, a Grinter Award recipient may not be chosen every year, only when the discernable influence of one ABET Expert’s tenure warrants singular recognition. Their achievements are not year-to-year, they span decades and have shaped the course of our work.

The award is our highest honor and the contributions of its recipients define our organization.

Linton E. Grinter

In 1972, Dr. Linton E. Grinter received the first Distinguished Service Award from ABET’s predecessor, the Engineer’s Council for Professional Development (ECPD). To convey the lasting impact that his achievements would have, the award was immediately renamed in his honor.

Dr. Grinter was an outstanding leader, as a member of ECPD and as an academic. Among his many achievements, he chaired the committees that produced three reports that have had major effects on engineering education: (1) the 1945 Manual of Graduate Study in Engineering; (2) the groundbreaking 1955 Report of the Committee on Evaluation of Engineering Education, now known as “The Grinter Report” —a major work in the development of engineering curricula that outlines specific objectives for both the technical and humanities areas of study necessary for future engineers; and (3) the 1972 Report on Engineering Technology Education.

His professional career spanned over 50 years and included many awards and honors from his peers. From 1963-1967, Dr. Grinter served as Vice President and President of the ECPD. His powerful insight into the future of the engineering profession was not merely felt by the ECPD and the engineering education of his time; his enduring legacy continues to shape our work throughout technical education and across the globe.

Recipients of the Linton E. Grinter Distinguished Service Award are ABET Experts who follow in Grinter’s footsteps, surpassing the highest expectations of effort and commitment. It is our organization’s highest honor.

2026 Winner

Scott Danielson

For multifaceted contributions over several decades to every aspect of ABET’s policies, processes and practices, effective leadership at various levels of the organization, and dedicated mentorship of ABET experts and prospective programs. His contributions have had a particularly significant impact on ABET training and on engineering education in Southeast Asia.

Dr. Scott Danielson is an emeritus engineering faculty member at Arizona State University (ASU) after his retirement in May 2023. Dr. Danielson was an Associate Dean for four years after being a department chair for over 13 years at ASU.

Dr. Danielson served in all ABET commission leadership roles, including commission chair, within the ETAC. Within ABET governance, he served on the Board of Directors in the old structure for one year and then as the area delegation director and the ABET Board of Directors in the new governance structure.

He began PEV service in 2003 and does assignments for both EAC and ETAC (19 evaluations as program evaluator and 17 evaluations as a team chair). Dr. Danielson has extensive experience in SE Asia, Vietnam and Indonesia, doing USAID supported engineering educational capacity building. This work included helping program prepare for international recognition by ABET and AUN-QA.

He becomes an ASME representative on the ETAD and the Board of Delegates in November 2026.He currently serves as the ABET Bridge Advising Coordinator—developing agreements and selecting advisors (consultants) for schools and programs—and a Bridge advisor. In addition, he has done ABET evaluator assignments for ASME.

Award Benefits

The award winner will be honored during the ABET Awards program in the fall. The recipient will also be featured on our website and social media pages as well as recognized in a press release.