Honoring 2026 Townes Award Recipient
The Honorable Henry McMaster
The 117th Governor of South Carolina
Elevating South Carolina to New Levels of Excellence
Wednesday, March 18, 2026 | 6:00 p.m.
Pastides Alumni Center
900 Senate Street, Columbia
Townes Award
Watch the 2024 Townes Award Dinner Livestream!
Since 1993, the Governor's School for Science & Mathematics has presented the Townes Award to honor individuals, businesses, or institutions that have transformed South Carolina and the world. Past winners have hailed from academic, business and political sectors. Dr. Charles H. Townes (1915-2015) was a native South Carolinian, Furman graduate and Nobel Laureate in physics. In 1964, Dr. Townes received the Nobel Prize for his pioneering research in quantum electronics leading to the invention of the laser. This breakthrough transformed not only science, but also our everyday lives. The laser now is a ubiquitous part of the modern landscape, including in surgery, fiber optic communication, and laser printers.
Presenting Sponsors
Visionary Sponsors
Entrepreneur Sponsors
Carolina Pines Regional Medical Center
CRISP Event Rentals
McLeod Health
Santee Cooper