CMA Awards Deadlines

2014 Council for Museum Anthropology Awards

The Council for Museum Anthropology (CMA), a section of the American Anthropological Association, recognizes innovative and influential contributions to the field of museum anthropology through three categories of awards

The 2014 deadlines for these awards have been set as follows:

- Student Travel Awards, deadline April 15, 2014

- Michael M. Ames Award, deadline June 1, 2014

- Lifetime Achievement/Distinguished Service Award, deadline June 1, 2014

All CMA award applications and nominations must be submitted as digital data (Word documents, pdf files and/or jpg files), sent via email to arrive on or before the deadline. Email all four members of the Awards Committee:

Christina Kreps (Chair) <Christina.Kreps@du.edu> Kathleen M. Adams <ksadams@luc.edu> Joshua A. Bell <bellja@si.edu> Gwyniera Isaac <isaacg@si.edu>

Award winners will be notified by August 15 so they have sufficient time to make travel arrangements. Winners will be formally recognized at the CMA Annual Meeting during the AAA Annual Meeting.

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CMA Student Travel Award Deadline April 15, 2014
The CMA Student Travel Awards are designed to support graduate student travel to the
annual AAA meeting to present papers and/or posters. Students and recent graduate degree
recipients (those who have defended within the year of the award) are eligible to apply.
Each year, CMA will award two prizes of $500 each.

Application packets (maximum 5 pages) must include: a brief letter indicating the
applicant’s student status and explaining how this project reflects the student’s graduate
work; a copy of the abstract for the proposed paper or poster (and for the session in which
they will be presenting, if known); and a letter of endorsement from an academic advisor
at the student’s most recent institution of study.

Evaluation Criteria: 1) Creativity: Is the paper or poster a unique and novel contribution to
museum anthropology? 2) Commitment: Does the student demonstrate a commitment to
the field of museum anthropology 3) Impact: Does the paper or poster have the potential
to develop into a work that could more broadly impact the field of museum anthropology?
Student Travel Award recipients will be presented with a check for $500 and a certificate
of the award.

Michael M. Ames Award Deadline June 1, 2014
The CMA Michael M. Ames Prize for Innovative Museum Anthropology is awarded to
individuals for innovative work in museum anthropology. Examples include: outstanding
single or multi-authored books or published catalogues; temporary or permanent exhibits;
repatriation projects; collaborations with descendant communities; educational or outreach
projects; multimedia works, and other endeavours. Individuals can be nominated by any
member of CMA (including self-nominations).

Nomination packets must include a cover letter and evidence of the work under
consideration (e.g., photographs, catalogues, links to websites, etc.), and supporting
materials (e.g., letters of support, media coverage, etc.). All material must be submitted as
digital data (Word documents, pdf files and/or jpg files). The nomination packet should
not exceed 5 pages.

Evaluation Criteria: 1) Creativity: Is the project a unique and creative exploration of
museum anthropology’s central themes, tensions, and histories? 2) Timeliness: Does the
project say something important about museum anthropology’s current predicaments and
unknown future? 3) Depth: In what ways does the project penetrate into the complexity of
material culture and the study of it through novel methods and theories? 4) Impact: Does
the project have the potential to make broad and lasting impacts in museum anthropology?
 
Ames Award recipients will be presented with a gift from CMA and a certificate of
the award.

Lifetime Achievement/Distinguished Service Award Deadline June 1, 2014
The CMA Board recently instituted a new Lifetime Achievement/Distinguished Service
Award to recognize CMA members whose careers demonstrate extraordinary achievements
that have advanced museum anthropology. These achievements might include: collections
work, community collaborations, exhibitions, publications, public programming and
outreach, teaching, policy development, etc. While many anthropologists distinguish
themselves through their works, this award is meant to single out those who, over the course
of their careers, have truly helped to define and or reshape the field of anthropology in and
of museums. Nominees are expected to have spent at least 20 years working in the field of
museum anthropology.

Nomination packets must include: a two-page letter of recommendation in support of the
nominee; and any additional supporting materials deemed relevant by the nominator (e.g.,
nominee’s c.v., other supporting letters). The letter should provide a contextual summary
of the nominee's signature accomplishments, and it should demonstrate the nominee's
qualifications. The nomination packet should not exceed 5 pages.

Evaluation Criteria: 1) Impact: How has the nominee's work transformed and or
contributed to the discipline of museum anthropology (e.g., theory, methodology,
influence); 2) Service: How has the nominee provided service to specific museums (e.g.,
collections, exhibits, public outreach); 3) Mentoring: How has the nominee influenced and
inspired the careers of students and colleagues (e.g., mentorship, curriculum development,
innovative teaching)?

Lifetime Award recipients will be presented with a gift from CMA and a certificate of
the award.

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For more information on applications, nominations, and evaluation criteria, please see details on the Council for Museum Anthropology website at: http://museumanthropology.org/