Award of Excellence

The PSA Award of Excellence honors scientists for a record of sustained scholarly activity, including teaching and service, who have had a major impact on the field of phycology. The Award is a career achievement award for a living phycologist. Previous awardees can be found below.

Call for Nominations

The Phycological Society of America is soliciting nominations for one or more Awards of Excellence. Recipients of the Award of Excellence will be chosen on the basis of their sustained scholarly contributions in, and impact on, the field of phycology, through a distinguished record of scholarly activity. Nominations will be welcomed for all fields of research on algae and also should highlight the candidate's service to PSA and/or other phycological societies. The Award is a career achievement award for a living phycologist. Membership in the PSA is not a requirement for nomination. 

Nomination packages should include a single nominating letter from a PSA member highlighting the reasons for the nomination. The candidate should acknowledge his/her nomination and also provide a complete C.V. (including information relating to teaching and service). The committee requests 4 additional names (and e-mail contact information) submitted to provide letters of support. The nominator is required to confirm that these individuals have agreed to write letters within two weeks of being contacted by the Committee.  Nominations received for the previous year for nominees who were not selected will automatically be reconsidered this year. Updates to nomination packages submitted last year are not required but an updated C.V. can be substituted for the prior version if submitted by the nomination deadline. Nominations made prior to last year will not automatically be reconsidered but completely new nomination packages for such candidates will receive full consideration. 

Nominations will be welcomed for all fields of research/teaching on algae and also should highlight the candidate's service to PSA and/or other phycological societies. Inquires and/or electronic nomination materials should be directed to Erica Young, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.  All nomination materials should be electronic files submitted by email.

In order to receive full consideration for the award that will be made at this year’s annual meeting of the PSA, the complete nomination package must be received by January 31

Checklist for nomination

1. Nomination letter from PSA member

2. Letter from nominee acknowledging the nomination

3. A current C.V. provided by the nominee

4. Names and contact information for 4 potential referees.

The committee will solicit letters directly, but the referees must have confirmed their willingness to provide a letter within two weeks of being contacted. If they fail to provide a letter, the Committee is under no obligation to search out new referees.

Past Recipients

2024 - Charles D. Amsler, Larry Liddle

2023 - John Smol

2022 - Richard Wetherbee

2021 - Jeffrey R. Johansen, Peter A. Siver

2020 - Susan H. Brawley, Craig W. Schneider

2019 - Charles Yarish

2018 - John Beardall

2017 - Debashish Bhattacharya, Susan Kilham

2016 - Milton Sommerfeld

2015 - Robert Andersen

2014 - Christine A. Maggs, Rex L. Lowe

2013 - No award

2012 - Jeanine Olsen, Wytse Stam 

2011 - Elisabeth Gantt, John Raven

2010 - Michael D. Guiry

2009 - Bruce Parker, John West

2008 - Clinton J. Dawes, Jeremy D. Pickett-Heaps

2007 - Gene Stoermer

2006 - Michael J. Wynne

2005 - Thanarapu Desikachary, Max Hommersand, Frank Round

2004 - Maria A. Faust, Paul J. Harrison, Matthew J. Dring

2003 - Isabella A. Abbott, Gary L. Floyd, Karen Steidinger

2002 - Theodore J. Smayda, E. Imre Friedmann, James S. Craigie

2001 - Robert R.L. Guillard, In Kyu Lee, Francis R. Trainor, C.K. Tseng

1999 - Sarah P. Gibbs, Grethe R. Hasle, Paul C. Silva

1996 - Greta A. Fryxell, Richard C. Starr