Prizes and Awards

APA/PDC PRIZE FOR EXCELLENCE AND INNOVATION IN PHILOSOPHY PROGRAMS

Summary

The APA and the Philosophy Documentation Center have established this prize to recognize philosophy departments, research centers, institutes, societies, publishers, or other organizations for creating programs that risk undertaking new initiatives in philosophy and do so with excellence and success.

Process: Programs may be nominated by any APA member familiar with a program, including those involved in its creation or direction.

Frequency: Every year

Award Amount: $1,000

Last Award: 2007

Next Award: 2008

Background

The APA and the PDC now invite nominations for the tenth (2008) competition. The aim of the prize is twofold: 1) to recognize and reward programs that risk undertaking new initiatives and do so with excellence and success; and 2) to publicize the success of these programs so that they may inspire and influence others to follow their lead.

Eligibility and Criteria. Departments of philosophy in colleges and universities, as well as institutes, societies, publishers, or other organizations that develop philosophy programs or projects aimed at promoting or developing research, teaching, or the public understanding of philosophy, are eligible to make a nomination. Philosophy programs must be based primarily in the United States, though they may have an international dimension.

Excellence is to be assessed by a record of achievement, the accomplishment of clearly defined goals, and the appropriateness of the program for emulation by others in the field. Innovation is to be assessed by the development of new research areas, new interdisciplinary connections, new international connections, new modes of teaching or dissemination, new audiences for philosophical work, or extensions of existing boundaries of the discipline.

Nomination procedure

Any APA member familiar with a program, including those involved in its creation or direction, may nominate it. Nominations must be supported by at least three statements speaking to the criteria outlined above. Other appropriate supportive material may accompany nominations. Please submit six copies of all materials. The Award Selection Committee may, at its discretion, solicit additional information. Nominations, with supporting material, must be sent by June 30, 2008, to:

APA/PDC Award, American Philosophical Association, University of Delaware, 31 Amstel Avenue, Newark, DE 19716

Questions may be directed to Evonda Acevedo at eacevedo@udel.edu or (302) 831-1181. Nominations will remain in effect for three years, and nominees from previous years will be notified of the opportunity to update supporting material.

Previous awardees

2007 Winner The Philosophy Program at Davidson College

2006 Winner The Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl, Illinois Institute of Technology

2005 Winner Carroll-Cleveland Philosophers' Program, John Carroll University

2004 Winner "Summer Institute in Philosophy for Minority Students" sponsered by Rutgers University Department of Philosophy.

2002 Winner Grand Valley State University, Community Working Classics Program

2001 Winner The Institute for the Advancement of Philosophy for Children (IAPC)
http://www.montclair.edu/iapc/

2000 Winner University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Institute for Ethics & Policy Studies

1999 Winner Trinity College of Hartford, CT, Integration of Science & Math Labs
http://www.trincoll.edu/pub/academics/departments/philosophy.html