Awards

 The Katherine Palmer Award

Each year, PRI recognizes an individual who is not a professional paleontologist for the excellence of their contributions to the field. This award is named for PRI's second Director, Katherine Palmer, who was an avid supporter of avocational paleontology. The award is presented at the annual Fossil Expo of the Mid-America Paleontology Society in Macomb, Illinois. Click here to visit the Mid-America Paleontology Society homepage.

Previous recipients are:

1993 James Nardi
1994 William D. Pitt
1995 Lelia and Bill Brayfield. (read the citation)
1996 Stephen H. Felton
1997 Lloyd and Freida Gunther
1998 Gerald Gunderson (read the citation)
1999 William F. Klose II (read the citation)
2000 John A. Catalani (read the citation)
2001 Joe Kchodl (read the citation)
2002 Jim and Sylvia Konecny (read the citation)
2003 Jay Tinker (read the citation)
2004 Paul Krohn and Wayne Myers (read the citation)
2007 Don Badman (read the citation)
2008 Chris Garvie (read thecitation)
2009 Richard E. Petit (read the citation)

 

The Gilbert Harris Award

This award is given annually by PRI, in recognition of excellence in contributions to systematic paleontology, to a scientist who, through outstanding research and commitment to the centrality of systematics in paleontology, has made a significant contribution to the science. It is named after PRI's founder who dedicated his career to the pursuit of systematic paleontology. The award is presented at the Friends of PRI reception at the annual national meeting of the Geological Society of America.

Previous recipients are:

1993 David Dockery
1994 William A. Oliver
1995 Harold and Emily Vokes
1996 William Cobban
1997 Erle G. Kauffman
1998 Ann F. Budd
1999 J. Keith Rigby
2000 Brian Glenister
2001 Rodney Feldmann
2002 Arthur J. Boucot
2003 Carole Hickman (read the citation)
2004 LouElla Saul (read the citation)
2006 Thomas R. Waller
2007 J. Thomas Dutro Jr. (read the citation)(read Dutro's remarks)
2008 James T. Sprinkle (read the citation)

 

To nominate an individual for either award above, please contact:

Dr. Paula M. Mikkelsen

Associate Director for Science

Paleontological Research Institution

1259 Trumansburg Rd.

Ithaca, NY 14850

mikkelsen@museumoftheearth.org

(607)273-6623 x20

fax (607)273-6620

Student Award In Systematic Paleontology

In recognition of the importance of basic systematic research to the science of paleontology, the Paleontological Research Institution annually presents an award in systematic paleontology to a deserving graduate student. This award of $500 is available to any enrolled graduate student pursuing research in any area of systematic paleontology.

Previous recipients are:

• 2009, Michael L. Latham of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, for "Phylogenetic implications of the pattern of oral cover plates in the Isorophida (Edrioasteroidea, Echinodermata)."
• 2008 Joseph Collette III of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, for "A window into Cambrian: an exceptionally preserved arthropod fauna from central Wisconsin."
  
• 2005 Kate Bromfield of the Centre for Marine Studies of the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, for “Evolution of coral species over the Miocene-Pliocene boundary (6 Ma) across the Indo-Pacific Region.”
• 2004 Talia Karim, University of Iowa, for "Lower Ordovician (Ibexian) trilobites of the Cow Head Group, western Newfoundland, Canada."
• 2003 Ivana M. Stevanovic-Walls, University of Pennsylvania, for "Lycopsids of Paracas, Peru."
• 2002 Jennifer Harper, UNC Chapel Hill, for "Taxonomic and Phylogenetic Analysis of the Gastrochaenoidea (Mollusca, Bivalvia)."
• 2001 Marcela Cichowolski, the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, for "Cretaceous Nautiloids of Argentina and Antarctica."

 

The application deadlineis February 1 of each year. To apply, send a 500-word description of your research project together with a letter of recommendation from your primary research advisor to:

Dr. Paula Mikkelsen, Associate Director for Science
Paleontological Research Institution
1259 Trumansburg Road
Ithaca, NY 14850
mikkelsen@museumoftheearth.org
(607) 273-6623 x20
fax (607) 273-6620

 

John W. Wells Grants-in-Aid of Research Program

PRI awards annually $500 to visit PRI's collections to graduate students or post-doctoral researchers to support collections-based research in any field of paleontology. 

This grant honors John W. Wells (1907-1994), past President of the PRI Board of Trustees, a long-time geology faculty member at Cornell University, and one of the world's leading authorities on fossil and living corals.

 

Previous recipients are:

• 2009 Travis Deptola of the Juniata College, for "Metabolic Rate Scaling of the Trilobite Phacops rana."
• 2008 Sarah Kolbe of the University of Cincinnati, for "Regional morphological variation in venerid and arcid bivalves: dissection along onshore-offshore gradients in the southeastern Gulf Coastal Plain."

 

The application deadline is February 15th of each year. Applications should include a brief (1-page) description of the research project, a budget justification and a letter of recommendation.

To apply and for further information about the grant application or PRI's Collection please contact:

Dr. Gregory P. Dietl, Director of Collections

Paleontological Research Institution

1259 Trumansburg Rd.

Ithaca, NY 14850

gpd3@cornell.edu

(607)273-6623 x17

fax (607)273-6620