Dec

Nominations are open for the 2019 Distinguished Scholar in the Sciences

Deadline is COB January 17, 2019

For nearly two decades, the Smithsonian Distinguished Scholar Award (formerly the Secretary’s Distinguished Research Lecture Award) has celebrated excellence in all branches of Smithsonian scholarship. Beginning in 2017, then-Secretary David Skorton decided to bestow two annual SDS awards, one in the sciences and the other in the humanities, each honoring the sustained achievement of an outstanding Smithsonian scholar. Secretary Lonnie Bunch has indicated his enthusiastic support for continuing this “new tradition.” Award recipients are asked to deliver a lecture to the Smithsonian community on their research, a reception is held in their honor, and a $5,000 contribution is made to each prize-winner’s research fund.

The Smithsonian Distinguished Scholar Award highlights the Smithsonian’s commitment to knowledge—knowledge derived through historical inquiry, the scientific method, rigorous analysis and peer review, and the syntheses that can result from a broad understanding of a particular culture or period. People trust the Smithsonian to care for America’s treasures and pursue and share historical, cultural, and scientific truth. Because of that trust, it is important that we uphold our founding principles and James Smithson’s mandate to increase and diffuse knowledge. The two SDS awards, together with the Secretary’s Research Prizes and the Research Tent at the annual staff picnic, offer Smithsonian staff, members of Congress, and the public four opportunities each year to learn about the remarkable work of our researchers. Each of these events showcases Smithsonian scholars and the new and innovative ways they are sharing knowledge with the world.

Nominations are reviewed by a Selection Committee of former award recipients, in conjunction with the Smithsonian Congress of Scholars. The committee presents the Secretary with a short slate of candidates from which he selects the award recipient.

Criteria

• Outstanding and sustained achievement in research
• Longstanding commitment to the Smithsonian
• Ability to communicate to both a specialist and a non-specialist audience

Nominations

Nominations may come from any current Smithsonian staff member, and should include the following materials:

• A nominating letter that explicitly addresses each of the three selection criteria
• An independent letter from another Smithsonian staff member that supplies additional information or perspective on the nominee (additional letters of support from outside the Smithsonian may also be submitted)
• A current curriculum vitae of the nominee

All active Smithsonian staff members are eligible for consideration; nominations will be kept active for three years (even if the nominee acquires emeritus status during that period) unless withdrawn. Self-nominations are not permitted, and currently emeritus staff are not eligible.

Nominations should be submitted via e-mail by COB Friday, January 17, to slowikk@si.edu. Please note: this call is for nominations in the sciences only: the call for 2020 Humanities nominees will be issued next year.

The 2019 Selection Committee

Louise Cort (FSG)
Bert Drake (SERC)
David DeVorkin, (NASM)
Giovanni Fazio (SAO)
Adrienne Kaeppler (NMNH)
Nancy Knowlon (NMNH)
Igor Krupnik (NMNH)
Ellen Miles (NPG)
Michael Neufeld (NASM)
Douglas Owsley (NMNH)
Kenneth Slowik, (Chair; NMAH)
Tom Watters (NASM).

Previous Recipients

Distinguished Scholar in the Sciences

2017 David Wildt, Scientist Emeritus
National Zoo and Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Center for Species Survival

2018 Thomas Watters, Senior Geologist
National Air and Space Museum, Center for Earth and Planetary Studies

Distinguished Scholar in the Humanities

2017 Michael Neufeld, Aeronautics Curator
National Air and Space Museum, Space History Department

2018 Christine Kreamer, Deputy Director and Chief Curator
National Museum of African Art

2019 Igor Krupnik, Research Anthropologist
National Museum of Natural History, Arctic Archaeology and Anthropology

Ed. Note. Dr. Krupnik will accept his award and deliver his lecture, “Heritage in Drawers: From Taking In to Giving Back (a Smithsonian journey)” Wednesday, Dec. 11, at 2:15 p.m. in the National Museum of the American Indian’s Rasmuson Theater. A reception in Igor’s honor for all attendees will follow, from 3:30 to 4:30 in the Patrons Lounge. For those who cannot attend the lecture in person, it will be webcast at https://www.si.edu/live