Contribution to the Field of Urban Affairs Award

In 2014, the Urban Affairs Association inaugurated the Contribution to the Field of Urban Affairs Award to recognize individuals whose body of work has contributed to defining the field and furthering the intellectual and professional development of emerging scholars. One or more awards will be given annually at the UAA Conference.

DEADLINE: October 17, 2025 (11:59pm CDT) – Last day to submit a nomination

Step 1: Review the Eligibility Guidelines

Step 2: Submit a Nomination

Award Benefits

Selection Process

Past Recipients

Eligibility Guidelines

Nominees should have advanced professional careers (PhD with 20+ years of post graduate professional experience).

The individual(s) selected for this award will be recognized for significantly shaping the field of Urban Affairs based on one or more of the following criteria:

Scholarship in urban affairs that influences the thinking of academics and practitioners over an extended career; or,
Significant teaching and mentoring of junior scholars; or,
Distinguished professional service that advances the work of urban affairs practitioners; or,
Outstanding institutional or organizational service that advances urban affairs education, particularly through UAA related activities; or,
Significant scholarship, teaching and/or service that advances equity, inclusion, and diversity within the field of urban affairs.

The nominator or nominee should hold a current UAA membership.

Nomination Instructions

Nominations can be made by any UAA member. To complete the nomination form, you will need to submit:

Nominee’s information: name + institutional affiliation

Submit a Nomination

Prior Nominees

If you aren’t selected for the award, UAA will keep your name in the pool of nominees for consideration in subsequent years. UAA will reach out to you each year to see if you would like to submit an updated CV.

Award Benefits

The award recipient receives:

An international announcement of the award
A special award plaque
A lifetime UAA membership (valued at $83 USD each year)
A lifetime complimentary conference registration waiver + 1 ticket for the Wednesday Night Opening Reception (valued at $600+ USD each year)
Participation in a special session at the annual conference to share her/his research, its findings and implications for practice and policy
Acknowledgment on the UAA Awards webpage

Selection Process

All eligible nominations will be reviewed by the Recognitions Committee of the UAA, which is appointed by the Chairperson of the Governing Board. The committee may request additional information from nominees and/or nominators to facilitate its review.

The Committee will review nomination materials and inform the UAA Executive Director of the outcome. The UAA Executive Office informs the recipient of the award decision.