Awards
The Iowa Sociological Association (ISA) supports and encourages the development of sociological curiosity through providing students with opportunities to engage in research, writing, and presenting at a professional conference. Additionally, ISA recognizes excellent student work through student research awards, listed below.
Submissions will be scored by faculty using a rubric prior to the ISA conference. Poster submissions will be scored at the conference.
Judging Criteria for awards: Succinct identification of issue(s) illustrated in the paper/poster and summarized in the abstract; Review of the relevant professional literature; Methodological rigor (if empirical); Organization; Disciplinary relevance and contribution; Creativity; Visual imagery (if poster); Overall quality.
Mary Alice Ericson (1st/2nd year open topic paper) - Named for Mary Alice Ericson—Coe College faculty, ISA President 1968-1969, and 1978-1979. Iowa State director for the Midwest Sociological Society. Named "Woman of the Year - 1978" by the Cedar Rapids Women's Equality Day Committee and "Golden Role Model" in 2007 by the Cedar Rapids NAACP.
Manford Kuhn (3rd/4th year open topic paper) - Named for Manford Kuhn—University of Iowa faculty (1946-1963). Founder of the "Iowa School" of symbolic interactionism, and President of the ISA 1959-1960.
Stephen Wieting (Integrating Theory and Research paper) - Named for Stephen Wieting, University of Iowa faculty (1971-2008), ISA President 2006-2007, and University of Iowa Sociology Club faculty supervisor.
Ward Reynoldson (Criminal Justice paper) - Named for former Iowa Supreme Court Justice Ward Reynoldson (1971-1987). Graduated from the University of Iowa Law School in 1948. In private practice in Osceola, Iowa until coming on the Supreme Court.
Keith Crew Research Poster Award (open topic). Named for Keith Crew—University of Northern Iowa faculty (1985-2019), ISA President 1991-1992, and 2002-2003.
ISA Paper Honor Award (open topic). Yet to be named. Submissions describe an original research project with novel findings with promise of publication.