Science Awards

The Science Awards were established to recognize that effective wildlife management and conservation is founded on innovative scientific inquiry and principles. As the Service faces increasingly complex challenges, the value of current scientific information is rapidly increasing. The awards are meant to recognize the outstanding efforts of the agency’s scientists and technical staff.

The Sam D. Hamilton Award for Transformational Conservation Science recognizes innovative application of science and can be awarded to either an individual or a group. The Sam D. Hamilton Award emphasizes improving scientific quality, capability, and efficiency; and facilitating cultural and institutional change through:

Increasing coordination and collaboration, either across programs within the Service or with conservation partners;
Tackling large scale conservation problems or decisions; or
Improving the Service’s scientific culture and infrastructure.

The Rachel Carson Award for Exemplary Scientific Accomplishment recognizes scientific excellence through the rigorous practice of science applied to a conservation problem. The Rachel Carson Award is now a single award and can be awarded to either an individual or a group.

The Science Leadership Award recognizes supervisors who champion the use of science in conservation decision making and who empower their staff to accomplish scientific work and engage in the scientific community. This award is for an individual.

View all rules/regulations and submit a nomination on the SharePoint submission site (FWS employees only): https://fishnet.fws.doi.net/regions/9/OSA/ScienceAwards

Rachel Carson Award for Exemplary Scientific Accomplishment – 2015
Name: Gail Collins

As the Supervisory Wildlife Biologist at the Sheldon-Hart National Wildlife Refuge Complex, Gail Collins led multiple scientific studies to document the severe ecological impacts to wildlife habitat from feral horses and burros. Gail’s investigations provided strong scientific support to justify the controversial and complex decision to remove the feral horse and burro population from Sheldon. With the removal now complete, priority species like pronghorn and greater sage-grouse will benefit from improved habitat in largest intact tracts of sagebrush-dominated habitat in the West Learn more.

Sam D. Hamilton Award for Transformational Conservation Science - 2015
Gulf Coast Vulnerability Assessment Team

John Tirpak, Rua Mordecai, Bill Bartush, Steve Traxler, Amanda Watson, Cynthia Kallio Edwards, Joshua Reece, Blair Tirpak, Laura Geselbracht, Mark Woodrey, Megan LaPeyre, P. Soupy Dalyander, Jim Pahl

The Gulf Coast Vulnerability Assessment (GCVA) team evaluated the potential impacts of climate, sea level rise, and urbanization on four Gulf Coast ecosystems and 11 associated species to assess their susceptibility to future change and aid in developing adaptation strategies. The GCVA was initiated by the four Landscape Conservation Cooperatives along the Gulf of Mexico—Gulf Coast Prairie, Gulf Coastal Plains & Ozarks, South Atlantic, and Peninsular Florida LCCs—in collaborative coordination with more than 50 partners. The GCVA will guide conservation and restoration efforts by helping conservation partners across the large Gulf landscape identify vulnerable areas to focus critical resources. Learn more.