Robert W. Sussman Award for Scientific Contributions to Anthropology

Robert W. Sussman Award  for
Scientific Contributions to Anthropology Section H (Anthropology)
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

Purpose: To recognize meritorious scientific
contributions to the field of anthropology by mid-career anthropologists.

Criteria:

• Mid-career is
  generally defined as about 10-20 years post PhD.  In academic rank, the individual would
  typically be an associate to early full professor.

Process:

• Nominations of
  mid-career candidates will be solicited from among the membership of
  Section H via electronic messages using AAAS communication platform and
  the Section H social media (e.g., facebook) page.  Members of the Section H Nominating
  Committee may also submit nominations of candidates. Nominations will be
  solicited in early March, with a deadline of April 30. Nominees do not
  need to be members of AAAS. Self
  nominations are not accepted.
• A nomination will
  consist of a nominating letter (maximum 2,000 words), describing the
  relationship of the nominator to the candidate, the candidate’s most
  significant contributions and why they are lasting, and the candidate’s
  trajectory for making continuing contributions to science in the spirit of
  the mission and goals of AAAS.  The
  nominating letter should be accompanied by the candidate’s CV and complete
  contact information. 
• Email your
  nominations to the AAAS Section H (Anthropology) Secretary, Karen Strier (kbstrier@wisc.edu)
• Nominations will be
  compiled by the Secretary of Section H, who will also chair the Selection
  Committee but who will not vote except to break a tie.  The voting members of the Selection
  Committee will be the other members of the Steering group of Section H,
  which includes the section chair, chair-elect, past chair, and 4
  members-at-large.
• Any Conflict of
  Interests (e.g., recent co-authorships, co-PI on grants, student-mentor
  relationships) will be declared by Selection Committee members. Committee
  members will not rank candidates with whom they have a COI.
• Efforts will be
  made to select Awardees from across the full range of scientific
  subdisciplines in Anthropology.
• Ordinarily, awards
  will be given to individuals.
• Award winners will
  be notified by September 1, and the award will be announced via Section H
  social media as soon as communication with the winner has been made.
• Award winners will
  be encouraged to attend the next AAAS meeting, with the award presentation
  held at either the Section H Reception or Business meeting.
• Award winners will
  receive a Certificate for the year in which the award is presented.
• The award will be
  named in honor of Robert W Sussman and the first award will be thus
  entitled: “2018 Robert W. Sussman Award for Scientific Contributions in
  Anthropology, from Section H (Anthropology) of the American Association
  for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).”

Notes

As composed by Jeffrey Laitman and recorded in the minutes from the 2017 Section H Business meeting: “Bob Sussman embodies the science and spirit of Anthropology. From fieldwork on lemurs to human biology to deconstructing the evils of race, his legacy of mentorship, caring, and dissemination of knowledge will be with us forever.”

Guidelines approved at the Section H Business Meeting, February 18, 2017.

There are currently no funds available to support any component of this award. However, the costs of producing the certificate (unframed) and shipping to the recipient, if necessary, will be covered by Section H funds. If Section H funds become available, we may be able to apply them toward defraying the awardee’s travel/meeting registration costs and/or honorarium in that particular year.