Awards and Grants Programs

The SWS awards program recognizes and rewards excellence in wetland science and service by its members as well as promoting membership in Society activities whenever possible.

Awards

Society Awards

Award recipients

Nominate an SWS Fellow

Nominate someone for an award

Contacting the SWS Awards Committee

    

Grants

Student Grants

Minority Undergraduate Program

Society Awards

The International Fellow Award is presented to an internationally outstanding wetland scientist for distinguished contributions to the field of wetland science and for fostering the aims of the SWS within their own country and abroad. Except for extra ordinary circumstances, candidates should live and work outside of the United States.

The President's Service Award recognizes those members who have made significant contributions by serving the Society and its members. Recipients of the Service Award have promoted the goals of the Society in their efforts that extend above and beyond their duties as teachers, researchers, and administrators.

The Best Student Paper and Poster Awards are given to promote student participation at the Society's meetings and to recognize excellence in the presentation of posters and papers.

The International Travel Awards are provided for financial assistance to wetland scientists, who are disadvantaged through regional economic conditions, to enhance their participation in Society activities. The goal of this award is to foster participation of the international membership through a travel grant to an annual meeting and free membership for 3 years in SWS.

The Merit Award is presented to an individual in recognition of an outstanding piece of original research, achievement, or contribution to wetland science. The award recognizes individuals for specific accomplishments in any field of wetland science and management, and to inspire future effort.

The Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to individuals in honor of a distinguished and extensive career of consistent meritorious contributions to wetland science and management. The award honors wetland scientists who have achieved special distinction in their career through sustained contributions to research, education, or policy in any field of wetlands science or management. The award also comes with a Life Membership in the Society.

Fellows are active members of the Society who have been nominated by other active members to receive the honor, recommended by the Fellows Committee, and elected by the SWS Board of Directors. Fellow is the highest recognition of membership bestowed by the Society. Up to 0.3 percent of the Society's Active and Emeritus Members may be elected to Fellowship, and up to 10 members may be elected a Fellow in any one year. Download Application

Sponsors and Endowment Award is presented to individuals, organizations, or corporations in recognition of financial sponsorship or endowment of Society activities.

The Doug Wilcox Award for Outstanding Associate Editor of Wetlands is awarded each year based on the recommendation of the Editor-in-Chief of Wetlands.

 

Lifetime Achievement Award
Year
Name
Affiliation
2007William J. MitschThe Ohio State University
John M. TealWoods Hole Oceanographic Institution
2005 Eville Gorham University of Minnesota
2002 William H. Patrick, Jr. Louisiana State University
Thomas C. Winter U.S. Geological Survey
2000 Robert G. Wetzel University of Alabama
1998 James G. Gosselink Louisiana State University
1996 Milton Weller Texas A&M University

International Fellow Award
Year
Name
Affiliation
2008Peter Nevill JohnsonLandcare Research (New Zealand)
2005Max Finlayson International Water Management Institute
2003David Searle MitchellCharles Sturt University
2001Jan Kvet Academy of Sciences, Czech Republic
1999Wolfgang Johannes JunkMax Planck Institute of Limnology, Germany
1997Brij GopalJawaharlal Nehru University, India
1996Chung-Hsin ChungNanjing University, China
President's Service Award
Year
Name
Affiliation
2008 James C. Lynch U.S. Geological Survey
2007 Douglas A. Wilcox U.S. Geological Survey
2006 Frank P. Day Old Dominion University
2003 Glenn Guntenspergen U.S. Geological Survey
Mary Kentula U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
2002 Teresa Doss and
the Mid-Atlantic USA Chapter
2000 U.S. Geological Survey,
National Wetlands Research Center
1999 James Parnell Univeristy of North Carolina
1998 Lee Ischinger U.S. Geological Survey
Janet Keough U.S. Geological Survey
1996 Frank P. Day, Courtney Hackney,James Kushlan, Mary Leck, Beth Middleton,Ming-Ko Woo, and Wayne Hudnall

Merit Award
Year
Name
Affiliation
2008 Irving A. Mendelssohn Louisiana State University
Arnold G. van der Valk Iowa State University
2007 Mary E. Kentula U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
2006 Paul A. Keddy Southeastern Louisiana University
2004 Beth Middleton U.S.G.S. National Wetlands Research Center
2003 Carl Madsen U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
2001 Barbara Bedford Cornell University
2000 James B. Grace U.S. Geological Survey
1998 Mark M. Brinson East Carolina University
Student Awards
Year
Type
Name
Affiliation
2007 Oral Presentation Joanna Lemly Colorado State University
Poster Presentation Amy Campbell The Ohio State University
2006 Oral Presentation Alice Howe University of Newcastle, Australia
Poster Presentation Jan-Olaf Meynecke Griffith University, Australia
2005 Oral Presentation Brett Scheffers The University of the South
Poster Presentation Jeffrey Smith University of Florida
2004 Oral Presentation Kate Huckelbridge University of California, Berkeley
Poster Presentation Katarzyna Dyszy University of Alberta
2003 Oral Presentation Jason Keller University of Notre Dame
Poster Presentation Wyatt Hartman Cornell University
2002 Oral Presentation Sharon Ashworth University of Kansas
Poster Presentation Amanda Nahlik Kenyon College, OH
2001 Oral Presentation Susanne Hoeppner Southeastern Louisiana State University
Poster Presentation Melynda May
2000 Oral Presentation Julie Guimond U. of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
Poster Presentation Isa Woo University of Wisconsin, Madison
1999 Oral Presentation Carrie H. Reinhardt Penn State University
Poster Presentation Allison R. Aldous Cornell University
1998 Oral Presentation Christopher E. Brown University of Memphis
Poster Presentation Merritt Tuetsky Villanova University
1997 Oral Presentation Deborah J. Picking University of Massachusetts
Poster Presentation Laurie Bishel-Machung Illinois History Survey
1996 Oral Presentation Rachel Budelsky University of Minnesota
Poster Presentation Uygar Ozesmi Ohio State University
1995 Oral Presentation Brian Windmiller Tufts University
Poster Presentation Robert Nairn Ohio State University
1994 Oral Presentation William J Streever University of Florida
Poster Presentation Ferenc A. DeSzalay University of California-Berkeley

Fellows
Year
Name
Affiliation
2008 Karen L. McKee U.S. Geological Survey
Rebecca R. Sharitz University of Georgia
Arnold G. van der Valk Iowa State University
2007 Mark M. Brinson East Carolina University
William H. Conner Clemson University
R. Kelman Wieder Villanova University
1994 Sarah Cooke Cooke Scientific
Curt Richardson Duke University
Doug Wilcox U.S. Geological Survey

 

Sponsors and Endowment Award
Year Name Affiliation
2008 U.S. Geological Survey  
1998 Dr. Lyndon Lee Lee and Associates, Seattle, Washington, USA

 

Doug Wilcox Award — Outstanding Associate Editor of Wetlands
Year
Name
Affiliation
2008Katharina A.M. EngelhardtUniversity of Maryland Center for Environmental Science
2007Rachel A. BudelskyUniversity of Minnesota

 

Nominations

Nominations are required for the Merit Award, Lifetime Achievement Award, the International Fellow Awards, and for designation as Fellow of the Society of Wetland Scientists. Normally an annual call for nominations is disseminated to the SWS membership via email and notices in the SWS Bulletin. Awards are presented at the SWS Annual International Meeting. However, nominations can be submitted at any time to the chair of the Awards Committee (see Point of Contact below), who will compile the nominations and forward them to the specific subcommittees responsible for each award. Specific requirements for nominations are:
• Merit Award - A letter outlining the specific achievement and a resume are required for each nomination.
• Lifetime Achievement Award - A nomination letter, two supporting letters, and a resume are required for each nomination.
• International Fellow Award - A nomination letter and two supporting letters plus a resume are required for each nomination.
• Fellows of the Society of Wetland Scientists - The procedure for nominating Fellows is considerably more complex than for the other awards. Please refer to the procedures for nominating SWS Fellows, which are available by clicking here.

 

Point of Contact

General inquiries regarding the Awards Program should be made to the Chair of the Awards Committee:

Stephen Faulkner, Ph.D.
Research Ecologist
USGS National Wetlands Research Center
700 Cajundome Blvd.
Lafayette, LA 70506
(337) 266-8648, FAX -8586
sfaulkner@usgs.gov