Nominations are open for 12 Institute awards to be presented at the annual Awards Convocation on Wednesday, May 13.
The event is designed to honor members of the student body, faculty and staff who have made notable contributions to the life of the MIT community.
To nominate someone, write a letter describing the nominee's qualifications and accomplishments and send it, as well as other supporting documents, if available, to the Awards Committee, Rm W20-500. Deadline for nominations is Friday, March 20.
A brief description of each award follows.
The Karl Taylor Compton Prizes, given in memory of MIT's ninth president, are the highest awards presented by the Institute to students and student organizations in recognition of achievements in citizenship and devotion to the welfare of MIT. They reflect outstanding contributions to the MIT community as a whole, sustained over a significant number of years.
The William L. Stewart Jr. Awards are in memory of William L. Stewart Jr., an alumnus and member of the Corporation who showed deep interest in student life at MIT. The Stewart Awards recognize contributions by an individual student or student organization to extracurricular activities and events during the preceding year.
The Albert G. Hill Prize is awarded to the minority junior or senior who has maintained high academic standards and made continued contributions to the improvement of the quality of life for minorities at MIT. A former vice president for research, Dr. Hill was an early champion of equal opportunity at MIT.
The Laya W. Wiesner Award honors Mrs. Wiesner's contributions to women's activities during her time as first lady of MIT. It was established in 1980 by the MIT Women's League and is presented to the undergraduate woman student who has most enhanced MIT community life.
The James N. Murphy Award was established in memory of Mr. Murphy's immeasurable contribution to community life at the Institute as a staff member. It is given to an employee whose spirit and loyalty exemplify this kind of inspired and dedicated service, especially with regard to students. Sustained contribution is a criterion for the award, but longevity, in itself, is not.
The Irwin Sizer Award for the Most Significant Improvement to MIT Education is presented to any member or group in the Institute community to honor significant innovations and improvements to MIT education. The award is named in honor of Irwin W. Sizer, dean of the Graduate School from 1967-75.
The Laya and Jerome B. Wiesner Awards honor Dr. and Mrs. Wiesner for their contributions to the arts at MIT. The award was established in 1979 by the Council for the Arts at MIT and provides two annual awards to students (graduate or undergraduate), organizations, living groups or activities for achievement in the creative arts and in the performing arts. The range of contributions is wide and includes creative work in literature, music, drama, visual arts, photography, film and dance, among other art forms.
The Louis Sudler Prize in the Arts is presented to a graduating senior who has demonstrated excellence or the highest standards of proficiency in music, theater, painting, sculpture, design, architecture or film. The prize is made from a fund established by Louis Sudler, a performer in the arts and an arts patron from Chicago.
The Edward L. Horton Fellowship Award is given in memory of Edward L. Horton, a doctoral candidate in physics, to honor his spirited contributions to graduate student life at the Institute. The award will be presented to any student group that fosters fellowship within the graduate student community. This award was established by the Graduate Student Council upon the untimely death of Mr. Horton in 1982.
The Association of MIT Alumnae (AMITA) Award is for a woman who has demonstrated the highest level of academic excellence through coursework and related professional activities at MIT.
The following two awards have nomination procedures that differ from those listed above:
The Gordon Y Billard Award is made to "a member of the faculty, nonfaculty employee or one not necessarily affiliated with the Institute, for special service of outstanding merit performed for the Institute." The award was established by Mr. Billard, a member of the Class of 1924. Nominations for this award should arrive at the Office of the Vice President for Human Resources, Rm E19-291, no later than Friday, March 13.
The Goodwin Medal is presented to a graduate student whose performance of teaching duties is "conspicuously effective over and above ordinary excellence." This award was established in memory of Henry Manley Goodwin, the first dean of the Graduate School. Nominations for this award should be sent to the Office of the Dean for Graduate Education, Rm 3-138. The nominations process will be described in a forthcoming letter from the dean.
A version of this article appeared in MIT Tech Talk on February 25, 1998.
