Awards

The Waterbird Society periodically presents awards to individuals for outstanding contributions to waterbird science, exemplary service to the Society, and to students for excellence in presentations and assistance for travel to the annual meetings.

The Awards Committee of the Waterbird Society will receive nominations for two International Awards (Curry-Lindahl and R. Cushman Murphy) and the Society’s Distinguished Service Award. Provide a 1-2 page document justifying the individual’s service, scientific or conservation contributions as appropriate to the particular award. Nominations should be emailed to chairman Michael Erwin (USGS senior scientist emeritus) by 30 September at: mikeerwin67 AT yahoo.com

International

Two international awards are the Kai Curry-Lindahl Prize for excellence in conservation biology and the Robert Cushman Murphy Prize for excellence in avian sciences. Nominees for these awards are selected by a committee who make their recommendation to the Council for a decision. The awards are presented by the President of the Society at the annual general meeting.

  • The ROBERT CUSHMAN MURPHY PRIZE highlights either a lifetime of exceptional, published research, or a single extraordinary research accomplishment that has resulted in a major redirection of studies on waterbirds. It honors the memory of one of the giants in the field, the author of Oceanic Birds of South America, a landmark first published in 1936 and still an essential reference 60 years later.
  • The KAI CURRY-LINDAHL AWARD calls attention to either a lifetime of singular efforts on behalf of the conservation or management of breeding waterbirds and their habitat, or to one outstanding example of such activity that has served as a model for future workers. It is named for one of the early pioneers in the conservation of vast areas of critical importance to freshwater colonial birds, not only in his native Europe but in Africa and Asia as well.

Distinguished Service Award

This 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. Award nominees are presented to the Council by the Awards Committee.  Past recipients.

Best Student Paper and Poster Award

Awards are given to promote student participation at the Society’s meetings and to recognize excellence in the presentation of posters and papers. These awards are presented at the annual meeting.  This year’s award winners.

Student Travel Awards

In most years the Waterbird Society has funds to give financial assistance to students in order that they may attend the annual meeting to present a paper (oral or poster). For more information or to apply click here.