Awards & Prizes
One way that the Western Association of Women Historians recognizes and celebrates its members' achievements is through awards and prizes.
Awards and prizes are presented during the Awards Banquet at the annual conference. While we love to celebrate with our prize winners, the inability to attend the banquet does not disqualify applicants.
Applicants must hold membership that is current through the award year when they submit their application.
Current WAWH Executive Board members (officers and committee chairpersons) are not eligible to apply in the award years in which they hold the board position.
Not a member? Join today!
Return to this page in October 2025 for the next round of applications.
Read about the awards and prizes below. Click on the links to learn more about the individual requirements, deadlines, and to access the application portal.
Have you recently published? Congratulations! Apply for:
Judith Lee Ridge Prize (article)
The Judith Lee Ridge Prize recognizes the best article published in the field of history published in one of the two years preceding the prize year.
Barbara “Penny” Kanner Award (use of primary sources)
The Barbara “Penny” Kanner Award honors a historian whose book, book chapter, article, or verifiably published or posted electronic media illustrates the use of a specific set of primary sources (diaries, letters, interviews etc).
Gita Chaudhuri Prize (book)
The Gita Chaudhuri Prize recognizes the best single-authored, original research based monograph about women in rural or environmental history, from any era and any place in the world.
Frances Richardson Keller-Sierra Prize (book)
The Frances Richardson Keller-Sierra Prize recognizes the best single-authored, original research based monograph in the field of history. Anthologies and edited works are not eligible.
Do you teach? Apply for:
Peggy Renner Award for Teaching and Curricular Innovation
The Peggy Renner Award for Teaching and Curricular Innovation recognizes historians who have developed a college or university course that engages students in exploring the links between contemporary issues and the past.
Are you a graduate student? Apply for:
Carol Gold Graduate Student Conference Paper Prize
The Carol Gold Graduate Student Conference Paper Prize recognizes an outstanding paper presented by a graduate student at the annual WAWH conference.
Founders’ Dissertation Fellowship
The Founders’ Dissertation Fellowship recognizes graduate students who show promise of significant contributions to historical scholarship. Award funds may be used for purposes directly or indirectly related to the dissertation, such as for expenses related to research, attendance at scholarly conferences, or that incurred in the preparation of the dissertation.
Mary Elizabeth “Betsy” Perry Graduate Student Poster Prize recognizes the best poster presented by a graduate student member. Application is made in response to the Call for Proposals. All posters accepted for presentation at the annual conference are automatically entered into this contest.
Lifetime Service to the Organization
Nupur Chaudhuri Lifetime Service Award
This semi-annual award recognizes outstanding long-term service of WAWH members. The Executive Board makes the selection. Click to see a list of recipients.