In 2018, AOS established the Stettenheim Award, a new service award meant to carry on the tradition of the Cooper Ornithological Society’s Cooper Honorary Member Award, one of the oldest awards in ornithology. The award recognizes an individual well established in their career who has performed outstanding and extensive service to AOS. This award celebrates members who may have served in elected or appointed positions, but also emphasizes volunteer contributions, mentoring, and committee participation. The award consists of a framed certificate and honorarium.
This AOS award honors Peter Stettenheim, an enthusiastic leader of both the American Ornithologists’ Union and the Cooper Ornithological Society who served in society governance and contributed in many ways to advance ornithology. Peter was a Life Member, Elective Member, and Fellow of the AOU, serving as a Council Member as well as Vice President (2001-2002). He was Editor of The Condor and Life Histories of the Birds of North America (a.k.a. Birds of North America), an Honorary Life Member of the Cooper Society, and a Patron and Investing Trustee of the Wilson Ornithological Society. Peter was a well-respected expert on avian anatomy and functional morphology but had a broad appreciation and interest in ornithology. He passed away in 2013 and was known by many of us as a kind and gentle giant. All award nominees are expected to have a high standard of ethical and social behavior that is strongly aligned with the AOS Code of Conduct & Ethics.
Submit a Nomination for the Stettenheim Award
Nominations for AOS Service Awards are currently closed.
Nominations must be submitted through our online Member Portal.
- The page linked above will direct you to a login screen. If you have previously created an account in our Member Portal, enter your user name and password. After logging in, you will be redirected to the AOS Service Award nomination page.
- If you have not previously created an account, click Register Now on the lower right to set up your profile.
To submit a nomination for the Stettenheim Award, you will need to upload a written summary describing why the nominee should be recognized with the award.
Previous Stettenheim Award Winners
2023 Scott Lanyon
2022 Melinda Pruett-Jones
2021 Fred Sheldon
2020 Susan Haig
2019 Phil Stouffer & Mark Hauber
2018 Anna Chalfoun
Winners of the Cooper Honorary Member Award
2016 Carla Cicero
2016 Jeffrey F. Kelly
2015 Brett K. Sandercock
2015 Susan K. Skagen
2014 Abby N. Powell
2013 Katie M. Dugger
2013 Mercedes S. Foster
2013 Michael A. Patten
2012 No recipient
2011 No recipient
2010 Carl Marti
2010 Thomas Martin
2009 No recipient
2008 Fritz Knopf
2008 Blair Wolf
2007 Kimberly A. Sullivan
2006 Bonnie S. Bowen
2006 David S. Dobkin
2006 Eileen M. Kirsch
2005 Barbara E. Kus
2005 Martin G. Raphael
2004 No recipient
2003 Theresa Bucher
2003 John Rotenberry
2002 Walt Koenig
2001 Shelia Mahoney
2001 K. Michael Scott
2000 Stephen Russell
1999 No recipient
1998 Terrell D. Rich
1997 No recipient
1996 Glenn E. Walsberg
1995 Luis F. Baptista
1995 Richard F. Johnston
1995 Edwin O. Willis
1994 Elsie C. Collias
1994 Charles T. Collins
1993 Sandra L. Gaunt
1993 Dennis M. Power
1993 Charles Van Riper III
1992 Richard C. Banks
1992 John W. Hardy
1991 Russell R. Balda
1991 Lloyd R. Kiff
1991 Jared Verner
1990 Joseph R. Jehl, Jr.
1990 Martin L. Morton
1990 C.J. Ralph
1989 Elizabeth A. Schreiber
1989 Ralph W. Schreiber
1988 George A. Bartholomew
1988 Lois Chambers Stone
1987 John T. Emlen
1987 Ned K. Johnson
1987 James R. Nothern
1986 Howard L. Cogswell
1985 Peter Stettenheim
1984 Robert W. Storer
1983 William R. Dawson
1982 Keith L. Dixon
1981 Nicholas E. Collias
1979 James G. Miller
1979 Oliver P. Pearson
1978 Harold F. Mayfield
1976 Ralph J. Raitt
1975 James R. King
1974 Wilson C. Hanna
1974 Eben McMillan
1974 Ian McMillan
1974 Virginia D. Miller
1973 Dean Amadon
1973 Jane R. Durham
1972 L. Richard Mewaldt
1972 Kenneth E. Stager
1971 Enid K. Austin
1970 Barbara Blanchard DeWolfe
1970 Donald S. Farner
1970 Marquis Y. Yamashina
1969 Herbert Friedmann
1969 Robert T. Orr
1969 Erwin Stresemann
1968 William H. Behle
1968 Thomas R. Howell
1967 John Davis
1965 Theed Pearse
1963 Hildegarde Howard
1963 Frank A. Pitelka
1963 John G. Tyler
1962 Jack C. Von Bloeker, Jr.
1960 Jean Delacour
1960 Ed. N. Harrison
1960 W.J. Sheffler
1960 Alexander F. Skutch
1958 Junea W. Kelly
1957 C.V. Duff
1956 Jean M. Linsdale
1956 Alden H. Miller
1956 Alexander Wetmore
1955 A. Brazier Howell
1953 Chester C. Lamb
1952 Walter K. Fisher
1952 Clark P. Streator
1950 Harry Harris
1950 Robert T. Moore
1949 Annie M. Alexander
1949 Henry W. Carriger
1949 Stanley G. Jewett
1949 J.R. Pemberton
1949 John Robertson
1949 Fred A. Schneider
1948 Rollo H. Beck
1948 Louis B. Bishop
1947 Joseph F. Dixon
1947 Hilda Wood Grinnell
1947 Harry R. Painton
1943 Howard Robertson
1942 Harold Michener
1942 Josephine R. Michener
1942 George Willett
1940 William A. Bryan
1936 Allan Brooks
1936 W. Lee Chambers
1936 Loye H. Miller
1933 Arthur C. Bent
1932 Alfred W. Anthony
1932 Albert M. Ingersoll
1931 Charles W. Richmond
1929 J. Eugene Law
1929 Theodore S. Palmer
1926 Carton W. Evermann
1924 Albert K. Fisher
1924 Joseph Mailliard
1922 G. Frean Morcom
1920 Florence M. Bailey
1917 Edward W. Nelson
1912 Frank Stephens
1910 Joel A. Allen
1910 Foster Ellenborough Lascelles
1909 Henry W. Henshaw
1909 Clinton H. Merriam
1905 Robert Ridgway
1898 Walter E. Bryant
1886 Lyman Belding
1886 James G. Cooper