IPS Awards Nominations now open! Deadline 10th Feb.

Dear IPS Members:

The following message is from IPS President Jonah Ratsimbazafy.  Please note the email addresses that are used to make nominations.

IPS Awards Committee

The IPS Awards Committee invites your nominations for the Lifetime Achievement Award and the new Outstanding Achievement Award to be presented at the Joint Meeting of the International Primatological Society and the Malagasy Primatological Society in Antananarivo, Madagascar, 10-15 August 2025.

1)  The Lifetime Achievement Award is given to a member of IPS for exceptional career contributions to research, conservation, education, and/or captive care and breeding of nonhuman primates, with attention to efforts with enduring international scope (in keeping with the international scope of our society). Past winners of the Lifetime Achievement Award were Dr. Hilary Box (2004), Dr. Tom Struhsaker (2006), Dr. Toshisada Nishida (2008), Dr. Allison Jolly (2010), Dr. John Oates (2012), Dr. Jeanne Altmann (2014), Dr. Jane Goodall (2016), Dr. Clifford Jolly and Dr. Colin Groves (2018), Dr. Vernon Reynolds (2020, awarded in 2022), and Prof. Mewa Singh (2023).

Current members of the IPS Council are not eligible for consideration for this award during their term in office. The recipient will be selected by the Awards Committee, chaired by IPS President Jonah, and ratified by the IPS Officers. The recipient will be notified by April 2025 and invited to attend the 2025 Congress in Antanananrivo to receive the award and to give a plenary address.

2)  The Outstanding Achievement Award was presented for the first time in 2020 and awarded in 2022 to Dr. Russell Mittermeier, and in 2023 to Dr. Anthony Rylands. It was created in recognition of the growth of primatology and of the increasing numbers of primatologists whose unique contributions have made a significant impact and merit international recognition. It can be awarded for either a body of work, or to recognize a particular outstanding achievement.  Whereas the LAA has historically been given to well-established and internationally recognized primatologists, the OAA is open to nominees who have made outstanding achievements at any stages of their careers.

Any member of the IPS can nominate someone to be considered for these awards.

To make a nomination:

a) Please send a letter, by email to the Chair and co-chair of the Awards Committee, Jonah and Cat, that describes the nominee’s accomplishments. The letter must be received by the 10th February 2025. The email addresses are: jonahrzy@gmail.com and clh42@st-andrews.ac.uk

b) The nominating letter must have at least one co-signer (electronic signatures are acceptable, but please be sure to copy the co-signer or primary co-signers on the submission email).

c) Please specify which one of the awards you are proposing for your nominee.

d) The content of the nominating letter should include an account of the person’s achievements and their impact on primatology, as appropriate for the award (see above). It should be no longer than two single-spaced, U.S. letter-size pages, font-size 12. (Signatures may carry over onto other pages). Some suggestions for the content and format of the nominating letter (based on past submissions) are as follows

• Introduction: Provide a summary of the nominee’s main contributions and background, including general education, employment, and primary activities in primatology, as relevant, being sure to specify for which of the two awards you would like your nominee to be considered.
• Main narrative text might include any or all of the following, as relevant:
  • Summary (including dates or time periods, when relevant) of the nominee’s major achievements, including but not limited to theoretical, empirical research and conservation contributions in field or captive settings, with citations to key books, articles, reports, programs, or policies written or led by the nominee;
  • Examples of any significant, high impact outreach, including educational contributions, student training, community programs led or organized, contributions to local, regional, national, or international policy;
  • Examples of the nominee’s impact on primatology, including any personal attributes that have contributed to their positive impact;
  • Examples of participation and contributions to IPS and other organizations (e.g., IUCN, regional or national primatological societies, governments, conservation NGOs, etc.).
  • Conclude with a comprehensive final statement about the nominee’s qualifications for the specified award.

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This is a wonderful chance for you to honour individuals who have dedicated their careers to primatology and have made positive impacts on our field. We look forward to your nominations. 

Jonah Ratsimbazafy and Cat Hobaiter, on behalf of the IPS Awards Committee