The North American Society for Bat Research bestows several awards for outstanding service, scholarly contributions, conservation and education. Gerrit S. Miller AwardThis award is presented occasionally at the annual North American Symposium on Bat Research to persons in recognition of outstanding service and contribution to the field of chiropteran biology. The award is named after Gerrit S. Miller, Jr., an outstanding early 20th Century bat biologist at the Smithsonian Institution. Miller's work on the evolutionary relationships of chiropteran families and genera to one another still strongly influences taxonomic thinking about bats today. Nomination Process: The Gerrit S. Miller Jr. Award winner is chosen by the Miller Committee which consists of all the surviving Miller award recipients. The Miller Committee chooses one of its members to act as the Secretary of the Committee, currently Mark Brigham. Each year, before the annual NASBR meeting, the Secretary of the Miller Committee contacts each member and solicits nominations. Any member of NASBR may nominate a worthy candidate by working with one of the members of the Miller Committee who will then communicate the nomination to the secretary. The committee members send a vote for their choice to the Secretary, who tabulates the results and informs all committee members. In the event that there is not clear winner, committee members are asked to reconsider their vote (including a vote for no award). If this does not lead to a clear winner, the secretary will consult via telephone and discuss whether there can be a resolution. The Miller Committee is not committed to making an award every year, and on average selects an awardee about once every two years. It has been tradition to hold the awardee name in confidence (when possible) until the award is presented at the meeting. The presentation of the award is made at our annual awards ceremony. The new Gerrit S. Miller, Jr. Fellow then becomes a member of the Miller Committee. Lifetime Member AwardLifetime membership in the NASBR is conferred in recognition of a long and distinguished career in bat research or education about bats. Nomination Process: A nomination may be submitted to the chair of the Awards Committee or to the chair of the Board of Directors. A nomination must include a statement describing the contributions of the candidate and how those contributions meet the criteria for lifetime membership, as described in the By-laws. A nomination must be supported by at least 10 members of NASBR; an e-mail or letter from each supporter that is sent to the chair of the Awards Committee or chair of the Board is sufficient to indicate support. The person bringing the nomination to the Board must be a member of NASBR. Self-nomination is not allowed. A copy of the curriculum vitae of the candidate must accompany the nominating letter; additional supporting information is acceptable but not required. A nomination must be received two months before the Annual Meeting in the year the distinction is to be conferred, to give the Board adequate time for review. The Board may make the decision before the Annual Meeting or at the Annual Meeting, but no later than the last Board Meeting at the Annual Meeting following initial submission of the nomination. A 3/4 vote of the Board is necessary for approval, as outlined in the constitution of NASBR. If the Board needs further input, the person submitting the nomination or another proponent may be asked to make a brief presentation to the Board at the Annual Meeting, to describe the strongest points of the potential candidate and to answer questions.(14/11/2015) Thomas H. Kunz Recognition AwardEstablished in 2018, this award recognizes and celebrates exemplary contributions by an early or mid-career scientist to the study of bats, including measurable impacts on bat research and/or conservation, student mentoring, public education, and collaborations. This award is named in honor of Professor Thomas H. Kunz, a founding member of NASBR, for his long and distinguished career in bat biology, ecology, and conservation that inspired many people and strongly promoted positive attitudes toward bats.
Nominations: The nominee must have been an active NASBR member for a minimum of 5 years and at the time of the nomination. The nominee must be within 15 years of receiving their Ph.D. Candidates for this award must be nominated by at least one current NASBR member, and we encourage collaborative nominations. Nomination materials for potential candidates should be sent to the Chair of the Board of Directors of NASBR or the Chair of the Awards Committee. The nominator(s) is/are responsible for providing a detailed summary of the candidate's qualifications for the award that includes, but is not limited to, the list provided below. The Kunz Award Committee will review the qualifications for completeness and make a recommendation to the full Board, and an affirmative vote by at least 75% of the voting members of the Board is required for approval of an award. Only one award may be granted annually. The awardee will receive a recognition plaque at the annual meeting banquet.
Minimum Nomination Materials - all materials to be supplied by the nominator(s)
2) CV that includes a list of public forums, workshops, and other public outreach activities. 
G. Roy Horst AwardEstablished in 2014, The G. Roy Horst Award for distinguished service to the North American Society for Bat Research recognizes and celebrates exemplary service to the society. The Distinguished Service Award, or G. Roy Horst Award, is given for significant and consistent contributions to the Society. This NASBR award is named in honor of G. Roy Horst, the sole Program Director and meeting organizer for the first 25 years of the society. Roy convened the First Southwestern Symposium on Bat Research in Tucson Arizona in 1970. The annual bat meeting’s name was changed in San Diego, 1972, to the North American Symposium on Bat Research. Roy retired as Program Director after NASBR 25, Boston, but came back as a Program Director for NASBR 38 and 39, while NASBR was reorganizing and rewriting its constitution to become an official society. The North American Symposium on Bat Research became the North American Society for Bat Research in 2010. Nominations for this award should be submitted to the Chair of the NASBR Board.
Spallanzani AwardThe Spallanzani Award assists distinguished bat researchers from outside North America to attend the North American Symposium on Bat Research. Lazzaro Spallanzani (1729 -1799) was an Italian biologist and physiologist who made important contributions to the experimental study of anatomy and physiology, animal reproduction, and was instrumental in discovering the mechanism of animal echolocation. Spallanzani is famous for extensive experiments on bat navigation in complete darkness. He concluded that bats use sound and their ears for navigation. Spallanzani investigated each individual sense, trying to discover which governed bat navigation. Through the process of elimination, he found that plugging a bat's ears rendered it directionless. Spallanzani's hypothesis of echolocation ability of bats wasn't fully explained for well over a century when in 1941, when Donald R. Griffin first described bat's sensitivity to sound waves. Nomination Process: A Spallanzani Selection Committee of three to six NASBR members receive nominations, screen candidates, and select Spallanzani Fellows. The Committee selects one to two fellows per year based on available funding.Spallanzani Fellowships may be awarded: 1) As Senior Fellows for recognition of a career of distinction in research, education or conservation biology of bats that has contributed to the development of these activities in their country. 2) As Fellows to persons of any age or career stage that show meritorious recent accomplishments that promote bat research, education, and/or conservation programs in their country. Nominations may be submitted to the Spallanzani Selection Committee by any NASBR member. Call for nominations are typically made in the Spring of each year (see email announcement for actual deadline). For more information please contact the Spallanzani Award Chair. Bernardo Villa AwardThis Villa award is bestowed upon a Latin American student who is doing outstanding research, and provides for resources to attend the NASBR meeting and present their findings. Travel, lodging, banquet, and registration are covered by the award. Nomination Process: To be eligible, applicants must be a Latin American student currently enrolled graduate or undergraduate students in a Mexican university, or must have graduated during the past year (i.e. since the end of the most recent NASBR meeting) from a Mexican university. The student's research may be anywhere in Latin America or the Caribbean, however priority will be given to those with research emphasis and application in Mexico. Contact the Villa Committee Chair to apply. Student Presentation AwardsAt the annual conference, NASBR provides nine student awards for best oral and poster presentations in various categories. These awards are provided through generous contributions of our longtime award sponsors. Students should check eligibility and apply by indicating interest during the abstract submission process. New Student Award Coming SoonThe NASBR Board of Directors voted to approve a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) fund that aims to support students of color, to promote diverse participation in NASBR and bat research and, more generally, to bolster continued involvement of minority groups in STEM education and professions. Please click here for more information about the fund. |