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SFS Career Awards

SFS Career Awards

Nomination deadline: November 20, 2023 
Click here for nomination form

We welcome nominations for the SFS Award of Excellence, Distinguished Service Award, Environmental Stewardship Award, Hynes Award for New Investigators, and Leadership Award. All 2024 award nominations are due November 20, 2023. Nominations of people from underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to increase the diversity of SFS Awardees. 

Nominations should include (1) a nominating letter limited to 5 single-spaced pages (see descriptions below), (2) two letters of support compiled into a single document (letters may be signed by multiple signatories, but please provide only two), and (3) a CV or resume of the nominee. The Hynes award does not require letters of support but does require the paper for which the candidate is being nominated.

Award of Excellence: The SFS Award of Excellence is awarded to a single recipient for outstanding contributions to freshwater science. The scope of the award reflects the broad interests and expertise exhibited in the Society. The award is not limited to members of the Society. The nominating letter should provide a well-organized description of the nominee’s exceptional and career-long contribution(s) to freshwater science. 

Distinguished Service Award: The SFS Distinguished Service Award is awarded to a Society member who has made a genuine and lasting contribution to the betterment of the Society through extraordinary leadership or service. The nominating letter should provide a well-organized description of the nominee’s contribution(s) to our Society. 

Environmental Stewardship Award: The recipient of the SFS Environmental Stewardship Award will be a Society member or non-member who has successfully translated scientific knowledge into the social/public arena through policy or regulatory reform, research that enhances freshwater ecosystem rehabilitation or conservation, or public outreach and science education that strengthens public support for managing freshwater ecosystems. The nominating letter should clearly and directly link the nominee’s activities to positive policy, conservation, and/or societal outcomes regarding the preservation and wise management of freshwater ecosystems.

Hynes Award for New Investigators:  The Hynes Award for New Investigators will be awarded to a freshwater scientist who was senior author of an outstanding primary publication that appeared in print in the last 3 years. The recipient must have received a terminal post-graduate degree within the last five years, and cannot currently be enrolled in a degree program. Repeat nomination of papers is encouraged as long as they still satisfy the award criteria. The Hynes Award for New Investigators has a separate nomination form.

Leadership Award: The SFS Leadership Award, instituted in 2021, recognizes early or mid-career (<20 years from PhD) SFS members for extraordinary work on behalf of the society. While applications will be accepted annually, the award will only be granted to exceptional nominees and may not be granted annually. We encourage nominations of early and mid-career SFS members. Successful nominations will make the case that the nominee has had a positive and demonstrable impact on some aspect of SFS and furthers its mission, especially by expanding the impact of our scientific society and of freshwater science.

How to Nominate

Please use this form to submit your nomination letter and additional material. 
Note: The Hynes Award for New Investigators has a separate nomination form.

Past Recipients

See current and past winners at the links below.