J. G. Edwards Prize

The Edwards Prize represents the attainment of the highest achievement for Master’s thesis research based on the biology and evolution of beetles. Papers enter competition for the Prize grouped by the calendar year of publication. Nominations from the scientific community at-large and a distinguished panel of world leaders of the coleopterist community are judged by a Selection Committee of top researchers.

Awards are presented at the annual general meeting of the Coleopterists Society, in the year following the competition period (e.g., November 2010 for papers published during 2009).

Eligibility

Papers of which the lead (first) author is/was a Master’s student. The paper must be based on Master’s thesis research on the biology and evolution of beetles, published in the preceding calendar year in a widely distributed, ICZN-compliant publication available by subscription (journal) or sale (book). When multi-authored papers are considered, the prize will be awarded only to the former student and not to any of the other authors. Publications in any language using the Latin alphabet are acceptable. While nominators and nominees are encouraged to become members of The Coleopterists Society, this is not a requirement for the award.

Award

The awardee will receive a cash prize of $500 and a plaque. The awardee will also be recognized at The Coleopterists Society annual general meeting.

Applications

Include:

  1. A letter of nomination, including the name and citation of the publication and the name and current email address of the nominated author.
  2. A letter from the student’s advisor attesting to the fact that the paper is based upon a master’s thesis. This letter should include a breakdown of each author’s contribution for multi-authored publications (demonstrating that the student did the bulk of the work).
  3. A PDF of the work.

No further documentation is required. Self-nominations are not accepted.

Please email applications to the Chair of the J. G. Edwards Prize committee:

Dr. Darren A. Pollock, Chair
Department of Biology
Eastern New Mexico University
Portales, NM 88130, USA
Email (replace “(AT)” with “@”): Darren.Pollock(AT)enmu.edu

Nominations are due by 1 March of the year following the publication of the nominated paper.

 

Previous winners

  • 2023 WINNER. Francisco E. de L. Nascimento. (for the paper: Nascimento, F.E. de L. and Mermudes, J.R.M. 2023. Revision of Periboeum Thomson, 1864 (Insecta, Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) with the description of two new species. Insect Systematics & Evolution 54(5): 491–554. https://doi.org/10.1163/1876312X-bja10048)
  • 2022 WINNER. Liza María González-Rodríguez. (for the paper: González-Rodríguez, L.M. and Short, A.E.Z. 2022. Revision of the water scavenger beetle genus Notionotus Spangler, 1972 in the Neotropical Region (Coleoptera, Hydrophilidae, Enochrinae). Zookeys 1109: 141–191. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1109.80775)
  • 2021 WINNER. José O. Silva Júnior (for the paper: Silva Júnior, J.O., Haseyama, K.L.F. & Souza, D.d.S. (2021) Phylogenetic approach redefines Plistonax (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Lamiinae) with new combinations and a new genus of flat-faced long-horned beetles. Organisms Diversity & Evolution 21: 491–520. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13127-021-00494-z)
  • 2020 WINNER. Stephanie Vaz (for the paper: Vaz, S., J. R. M. Mermudes, P. C. Paiva, and L. F. L. Da Sil- veira. 2020. Systematic review and phylogeny of the firefly genus Dilychnia (Lampyridae: Lampyrinae), with notes on geographical range. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 190: 844–888. https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaa041)
  • 2019 WINNER. Ryan Lumen (for the paper: Lumen, R., K. Kanda, D. Iwan, A.D. Smith, & M.J. Kaminski. 2019. Molecular insights into the phylogeny of Blapstinina (Coleoptera: Tenebrionideae: Opatrini). Systematic Entomology, 45: 337–348. https://doi.org/10.1111/syen.12398)
  • 2018 WINNER. Mario Cupello (for the paper Cupello, M. & Vaz-de-Mello, F.Z. 2018. Monographic revision of the Neotropical dung beetle genus Sylvicanthon Halffter & Martínez, 1977 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae: Deltochilini), including a reappraisal of the taxonomic history of “Canthon sensu lato”. European Journal of Taxonomy, 467: 1‒205. https://doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2018.467)
  • 2017 WINNER. Stephen M. Baca (for the paper Baca, S.M., Toussaint, E.F.A., Miller, K.B., and Short, A.E.Z. 2017. Molecular phylogeny of the aquatic beetle family Noteridae (Coleoptera: Adephaga) with an emphasis on data partitioning strategies. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 107: 282–292. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2016.10.016)
  • 2016 WINNER. Charles Hart (for the paper Hart, C.J. and Ivie, M.A., 2016. A revision of the genus Diastolinus Mulsant and Rey (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). The Coleopterists Bulletin, 70(3), pp.485-540. https://doi.org/10.1649/0010-065X-70.3.485)
  • 2015 WINNER. Jennifer Shaughney (for the paper Shaughney, J. M., and Ratcliffe B. C. 2015. A Monographic Revision of the Genus Hoplopyga Thomson, 1880 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae: Gymnetini). The Coleopterists Bulletin 69: 579-538. https://doi.org/10.1649/0010-065X-69.4.579)
  • 2014 WINNER. Luiz Felipe Lima Da Silveira (for the paper Da Silveira, L. F. L. and Mermudes, J. R. M. 2014. Systematic review of the firefly genus Amydetes Illiger, 1807 (Coleoptera: Lampyridae), with descriptions of 13 new species. Zootaxa 3765: 201-248. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3765.3.1)
  • 2013 WINNER. Nathan Lord (for the paper Lord, N.P., and J.V. McHugh. 2013. A taxonomic revision of the genus Deretaphrus Newman, 1842 (Coleoptera: Cucujoidea: Bothrideridae). The Coleopterists Society Monograph 12: 1-107. https://doi.org/10.1649/072.067.0mo4.1)
  • 2012 WINNER. Juan Pablo Botero R. (for the paper Botero R. and M. L. Monné. 2012. Revision of the genus Andraegoidus Aurivillius (Insecta: Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). Zootaxa 3169: 1-60. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3169.1.1)
  • 2011. There were no nominations for the prize.
  • 2010 WINNER. Sarah M. Smith (for the paper Smith S. M. and A. I. Cognato. A taxonomic revision of Camptocerus Dejean (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae). Insecta Mundi, 148: 1-88. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/insectamundi/668/)
  • 2009 WINNER. Katie J. Hopp (for the paper Hopp K. J. and M. Ivie. 2009. A Revision of the West Indian Genus Nesocyrtosoma Marcuzzi (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). Coleopterists Society Monograph No. 8. https://doi.org/10.1649/0010-065X-63.sp8.1)
  • 2008 WINNER. Eugenio H. Nearns. (for the paper Nearns E. H. and M. A. Branham. 2008. Revision and phylogeny of the tribes Curiini LeConte and Plectromerini Nearns & Branham, new tribe (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae). Memoirs of the American Entomological Society, 47: 1-117. https://biostor.org/reference/104449)