Imagine Excellence
The GWS Awards Program
[NOTE: The Awards Program is currently on hold as we consider future in-person venues for holding the awards ceremony]
Through Imagine Excellence, our awards program, GWS recognizes outstanding accomplishments in fields associated with research in, administration and management of, communications about, and the promotion of socioenvironmental justice in or through parks, other kinds of protected areas, cultural sites, and related supporting activities. Because of the pandemic, we are pausing the program, which usually goes every other year in odd-numbered years.
Here are the six awards:
-
The George Melendez Wright Award for Excellence, given in recognition of lifetime contributions on behalf of the Society or in furtherance of its purposes. This is the Society's highest award, and it is reserved for exceptional achievements in any of the areas with which the GWS is concerned. It is a top-of-career award.
-
The GWS Cultural Resource Achievement Award, given in recognition of excellence in research, management, or education related to the cultural resources of parks, cultural and historic sites, reserves, and other protected areas.
-
The GWS Natural Resource Achievement Award, given in recognition of excellence in research, management, or education related to the natural resources of parks, reserves, and other protected areas.
-
The GWS Social Science Achievement Award, given in recognition of excellence in social science research, management, or education related to parks, reserves, cultural and historic sites, and other protected areas.
-
The GWS Communications Award, given in recognition of excellence in communication, interpretation, or related areas pertaining to the purposes of the Society. This award is given specifically to recognize outstanding efforts in communicating highly technical or controversial park-related subjects to the public in a clear and understandable manner.
-
The GWS Socioenvironmental Justice Achievement Award, given in recognition of excellence in seeking and advocating for inclusive and impartial alternatives that proactively obviate problems associated with socioenvironmental justice.
GWS awards consist of a plaque, payment of the winner’s expenses to a presentation event (if in-person), and a year’s complimentary membership in the Society.
How do I make a nomination?
-
We'll issue a Call for Nominations when the next round of Awards is announced.
-
Nominations must come from GWS members in good standing. (To check your membership status, send a note to info@georgewright.org.) The person being nominated need not be a member, however.
-
The nomination must be of an individual, not a group. However, it is possible to reference the nominee’s involvement with a team in the nomination.
-
Nominations must be made through a webform, which will be posted on this page.