General Awards celebrate the Society for Applied Anthropology’s commitment to recognizing innovative work and fostering the professional growth of scholars and practitioners in applied anthropology. These awards underscore the importance of research, international collaboration, community engagement, and the mentorship crucial to the field’s advancement. Honoring achievements that resonate with the Society’s core values, this page is a tribute to the individuals who paved the way for the future of applied social sciences.

Peter Kong-ming New Award

Rewarding exceptional student research in health care or human services

Bert Pelto International Travel Award

Supporting global applied anthropology initiatives

Robert A. & Beverly H. Hackenberg Prize

Acknowledging impactful community-focused collaborations

J. Thomas May Memorial Internship

Fostering future leaders in social science application

Comitas Award for Significant Applications of Anthropology

Supporting projects aiming to enhance understanding of persistent communal problems

James H. McDonald Leadership Endowment

Funding leadership development programming to support mid-career anthropologists

The Comitas Institute Award

Highlighting ethnographic research that raises public awareness of anthropology and fosters a deeper understanding of contemporary social issues and solutions

First Book Proposal Prize in Critical Disaster Studies

Competition for a book manuscript proposal by a single author in the field of critical disaster studies