Solon T. Kimball Award for Public and Applied Anthropology

The Solon T. Kimball Award for Public and Applied Anthropology was initiated by royalties from Applied Anthropology in America (Elizabeth M. Eddy and William L. Partridge, eds., 1978), a volume dedicated to Solon Kimball, “who taught that the study of human behavior should be of service to people.” The award has been presented every other year since 1984 at the American Anthropological Association Annual Meeting. Through the generosity of an anonymous donor, the Solon T. Kimball Award for Public and Applied Anthropology now provides a $1,000 prize.

The Kimball Award offers an opportunity to honor exemplary anthropologists for outstanding recent achievements that have contributed to the development of anthropology as an applied science and have had important impacts on public policy. The range of eligible nominees is unusually broad: the Kimball Award can be given to individuals or to a team (including collaborators outside of anthropology) and is not restricted by nationality, anthropological specialization, or type of employment. The anthropological contribution may be theoretical or methodological. The impact on public policy may be in any area, domestic or international, for example biodiversity, climate change, energy, international relations, medicine, public health, language conservation, education, criminal justice, development, or cultural heritage. Nominations recognizing disciplinary path-breakers who are shaping and strengthening the discipline of anthropology, and which honor those who might otherwise be overlooked, are especially encouraged.

Application Requirements

  • Nominee Curriculum Vitae/Resume
  • Cover Letter
  • Example of publication
  • Supporting documents.

Submission Deadline: March 15, 2024

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Past Recipients

Read about past award recipients.