The Tree-Ring Society (TRS) is committed to recognizing excellence in our field. We currently have four major society awards to recognize the achievements of individuals at various career stages in dendrochronology. Three of these awards were formalized at the 1st AmeriDendro conference in 2008 (Vancouver, Canada) where assembled members voted to name these awards in honour of their namesakes, individuals who directed the course of dendrochronology during their extraordinary careers: The Harold C. Fritts Award for Lifetime Achievement, The Richard L. Holmes Award for Outstanding Service, and the José A. Boninsegna Frontiers in Dendrochronology Award. The most recent award, the Florence Hawley Ellis Diversity Award, was adopted by the Society in advance the WorldDendro conference in 2018 (Thimphu, Bhutan), and honours excellence in early career researchers in our field.
The Harold C. Fritts Award for Lifetime Achievement in Dendrochronology is conferred to an individual(s) who has significantly influenced the field of dendrochronology, emphasizing innovative research that has advanced the tree-ring sciences and promoted across disciplines.
Winners:
2022 AmeriDendro - Montreal Canada
- Dr. Rosanne D’Arrigo, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Columbia University, USA
- Dr. Lisa Graumlich, University of Washington, USA
2016 AmeriDendro - Mendoza Argentina
- Dr. Tom Swetnam, Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, University of Arizona, USA
- Dr. Ricardo Villalba, Laboratory of Dendrochronology, IANIGLA-CONICET, Mendoza, Argentina
2014 World Dendro - Melbourne Australia
- Dr. Malcolm Hughes, Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, University of Arizona, USA
- Dr. Edward R. Cook, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, USA
2008 AmeriDendro - Vancouver Canada
- Dr. Brian H. Luckman, Department of Geography, University of Western Ontario, Canada
The Richard L. Holmes Award for Outstanding Service to Dendrochronology is bestowed on individual(s) who have provided outstanding service to dendrochronology in any of several forms, including educational service, teaching service, committee membership, positions served, software and hardware development, database development, and e-communications.
Winners:
2022 AmeriDendro - Montreal Canada
- Dr. Andy Bunn, Western Washington University, USA
- Dr. Martin Munro, Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, University of Arizona, USA
2016 AmeriDendro - Mendoza Argentina
- Mr. Rex Adams, Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, University of Arizona, USA
2014 World Dendro - Melbourne Australia
- Mr. Bruce Bauer, Paleoclimatology Program, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, USA
2008 AmeriDendro - Vancouver Canada
- Mr. Paul J. Krusic, Tree-Ring Laboratory, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, USA
- Dr. Peter M. Brown, Rocky Mountain Tree-Ring Research, USA
- Dr. James Speer, Indiana State University, USA
2006 World Dendro - Beijing China
- Dr. Edward R. Cook, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, USA
The José A. Boninsegna Frontiers in Dendrochronology Award is awarded to individual(s) who have contributed significantly to cutting-edge science in dendrochronology, including the bridging of geographic, research, or methodological frontiers.
Winners:
2022 AmeriDendro - Montreal Canada
- Dr. Fusa Miyake,Institute for Space-Earth Environmental Research Division for Cosmic Ray Research, Nagoya University, Japan
2016 AmeriDendro - Mendoza Argentina
- Dr. Connie Woodhouse, School of Geography and Development & Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, University of Arizona, USA
- Dr. Markus Stoffel, University of Berne, Switzerland
2014 World Dendro - Melbourne Australia
- Dr. Rosanne D’Arrigo, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Columbia University, USA
2008 AmeriDendro - Vancouver Canada
- Dr. José Villanueva-Diaz, Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agricolas y Pecuarias, México
The Florence Hawley Ellis Diversity Award is intended to advance diversity in dendrochronology and recognize the excellence of early career scientists in the field of dendrochronology. This award is named in honor of Dr. Florence Hawley Ellis, the first female tree-ring scientist, who pioneered multiple disciplines and fought for equality in academia throughout her career. This award is unique to the above-listed TRS awards, which are recognized primarily with an engraved plaque, with conference registration, travel support and the Florence Hawley Ellis plenary lecture for the awarding conference. The financial support The TRS can provide to winner(s) of this award as made possible exclusively by individual member donations.
Winners:
2022 AmeriDendro - Montreal Canada
- Dr. Justine Ngoma, School of Natural Resources, Copperbelt University, Kitwe, Zambia
- Dr. Maegen Rochner, University of Louisville, Kentucky, USA
- Dr. Jorge Giraldo, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
2016 World Dendro - Thimpu Bhutan
- Dr. Soumaya Belmecheri, Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, University of Arizona, USA
The Florence Hawley Ellis Diversity Award:
Advancing Diversity in Dendrochronology for Early-Career Scientists
You can financially support this award by making a donation and clicking the "Designate Your Donation". This donation is tax-deductible for U.S. citizens
Over the past century dendrochronology has adapted to the challenges of understanding past environments, climate change, and environmental degradation. It evolved such that it informed the fields of ecology, geochemistry, human health, social sciences, etc. In this context, there is a need to support promising scientists who will continue the evolution of dendrochronology, especially given the sometimes exclusive and inequitable history of the field. One way to enhance diversity comes through mechanisms like the Hawley Diversity Award. We must note, however, that much of this change must be also derived at the level of each member in our field, becoming more aware of our own unconscious bias. To paraphrase from an essay on combating unconscious bias, what would our field “look like if we all aimed to feel curious, ask questions, demonstrate humility, and consider whether we might have contributed to someone feeling that she can’t bring her full self to work?” Similarly, it is important that all of us review, understand, and adhere to the Tree-Ring Society’s Code of Ethics and Code of Conduct. A review of the 2016 membership list for the Tree-Ring Society indicated that only 29% of members identify as female. Further, when breaking the membership down by nation status, only 5% of Tree-Ring Society members are based in nations where personal incomes are generally lower versus other nations. Membership in these nations, however, does not reflect the global enthusiasm for dendrochronology: 30% of the attendees of Melbourne WorldDendro in 2014 were nations where registration fees and travel costs could be a rather large expense. Continued expansion of our science requires a broader representation of the collective brainpower of humanity. The early career stage of academia appears to be the critical period in retaining underrepresented researchers. For the continued growth of dendrochronology, it is imperative that we show substantial support for bright, kind, early-career people in our field. For these reasons, the Tree-Ring Society has developed the Florence Hawley Ellis Diversity Award to broaden the future of dendrochronology. |
Florence Hawley Chaco Canyon, 1940; Photographer: Armand G. Winfield |
