American Society of Naturalists

After carefully considering whether honorary awards should be named after specific individuals, the ASN Executive Council has decided to remove names from all society awards. Many factors went into this decision, including the recognition that awards should first be an honor for the recipients for their accomplishments. Some awards will continue to commemorate individuals in their descriptions, as the ASN remembers the Society's past while also working for a more inclusive and equitable future. The Council recognizes that removing names from awards is only a minor step towards dealing with the systemic problems in our fields. We are currently evaluating how to best use society funds to support more substantive initiatives to foster diversity, equity, and inclusion, and will announce first steps at the annual meeting in June 2022. New names for Society awards will be unveiled in the coming weeks.