Awards & Awardees

Discover excellence in Anthropology at UBC. Our exceptional students and faculty from the Department of Anthropology have garnered numerous awards and accolades, showcasing their outstanding achievements. Join us in celebrating their remarkable accomplishments and explore the vibrant world of anthropological exploration. Welcome to a community of excellence and discovery!

NameAwardYear
Amirpouyan ShivaOutstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award, UBC Anthropology Student Association2023
Patrick MooreUBC Dean of Arts Mentorship Award2023
Mark TurinUBC Dean of Arts Mentorship Award2023
Amirpouyan ShivaOutstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award, UBC Anthropology Student Association2022
Susan RowleyAnthropology Graduate Student Association Award2021
Andrew MartindaleOutstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award, UBC Anthropology Student Association2021
Sabina MaglioccoAMS/Open UBC Open Champion award for using open resources in teaching/research2021
Amirpouyan ShivaCASCA Award for Teaching Excellence (CATE) – Instructor;
Canadian Anthropology Society
2021
Sabina MaglioccoOutstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award, UBC Anthropology Student Association2020
Sara ShneidermanExemplary Graduate Student Mentor, UBC Anthropology Graduate Student Association2020
Shaylih MuehlmannOutstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award, Anthropology Student Association2012
Vinay KamatOutstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award, UBC Anthropology Student Association2011
Vinay KamatOutstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award, UBC Anthropology Student Association2009
Gaston GordilloKillam Teaching Award, University of British Columbia2008
Jennifer RamsayOutstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award, UBC Anthropology Student Association2008
Zhichun JingOutstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award, UBC Anthropology and Sociology Student Society2007
Michael BlakeKillam Teaching Award, University of British Columbia2006
Michael BlakeOutstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award, UBC Anthropology and Sociology Student Society2006
Bruce Miller Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award, UBC Anthropology and Sociology Student Society2006
Vinay KamatOutstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award, UBC Anthropology Student Association2005
Dawn CurrieOutstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award, UBC Anthropology Student Association2005
Alexia BlochOutstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award, UBC Anthropology Student Association2004
Patrick MooreOutstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award, UBC Anthropology Student Association2004
William McKellinAward for Excellence in Medical Education, British Columbia Children’s and Women’s Hospitals2002
Bruce MillerUBC Killam Teaching Prize1998

NameAwardYear
Bruce MillerKillam Research Prize2022
Camilla SpellerUBC Killam Accelerator Research Fellowship2022
Daisy RosenblumUBC Killam Research Fellowship2022
Carole BlackburnKillam Faculty Research Fellowship2021
Bruce MillerWeaver-Tremblay Prize for Applied Anthropology, awarded by Canadian Anthropology Society2020
Shaylih Muehlmann Guggenheim Scholar, The John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation2020
Vinay KamatDean of Arts, Faculty Research Award2019
Sabina MaglioccoSSHRC Insight Grant: "Fairy Tale Justice in Old and New Media: Transforming Wonder." Co-PI with Prof. Pauline Greenhill, University of Winnipeg2019
Camilla SpellerCanadian Foundation for Innovation, John R. Evans Leaders Fund award (CFI-JELF)2019
Zhichun JingGolden Cauldron Award, National Congress of Chinese Archaeology2018
Mark TurinKillam Faculty Research Fellowship2018
Mark TurinWall Scholar, Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies2018
Carole BlackburnEarly Career Scholar, Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies2017
Alexia BlochUBC, Dean of Arts, Faculty Research Awards2017
Patrick MooreAward for Public Outreach and Community Service, Society for Linguistic Anthropology, November2017
Patricia ShawThe Ken Hale Award, The Society for the Study of the Indigenous Languages of the Americas (SSILA)2017
Sara ShneidermanWall Scholar, Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies2017
Sara ShneidermanJames Fisher Prize for First Books on the Himalayan Region, awarded by the Association for Nepal and Himalayan Studies2017
Wade DavisMember, Order of Canada2016
Wade DavisGrand Prize of the Salon du Livre de Montagne for Les Soldats de L’Everest, 26th Passy Mountain Book Festival, Passy, France2016
Gaston GordilloHonorable Mention, Society for Humanistic Anthropology’s Victor Turner Prize for Ethnographic Writing for Rubble: The Afterlife of Destruction (2014, Duke University Press)2016
Susan Rowley Michael M. Ames Award, Committee for Museum Anthropology of the American Anthropological Association2016
Darlene WestonAward for Most influential article published in BMC Evolutionary Biology in 2015 for the article, “The ancestral shape hypothesis: an evolutionary explanation for the occurrence of intervertebral disc herniation in humans,”2016
Darlene Weston“Kiem” Award, Koninklijke Nederlands Vereniging voor Microbiologie for best microbiology paper of 2015 with a Dutch first author (Ziesemer KA) for “Intrinsic challenges of ancient microbiome reconstruction using 16S rRNA gene amplification,” Scientific Reports 5, 164982016
Jennifer KramerCanada Prize in the Humanities, Federation for Social Sciences and Humanities for Native Art of the Northwest Coast a History of Changing Ideas (co-edited by Charlotte Townsend-Gault, Jennifer Kramer and Ki-ke-in (UBC Press 2013)2015
Susan RowleyHistory Alive! the Governor General's History Award for Museums2015
Susan RowleyCharles Redd Award of the Western Museums Association for Exhibition Excellence2015
Patricia ShawUBC Dean of Arts Award2015
Gaston GordilloWall Scholar, Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies2014
Leslie RobertsonCanadian Committee on Women’s History Book Prize, Best book in Women’s and Gender History for 2 years. Canadian Historical Association, for Standing Up with Ga’ax̱sta’las.2014
Leslie RobertsonCanadian Committee on Women’s and Gender History Book Prize. Canadian Historical Association, for Standing Up with Ga’ax̱sta’las.2014
Darlene WestonNational Award for Scientific Investigation, Cuban Academy of Sciences, for archaeological work on the site of El Choro de Maita, Cuba.2014
Jennifer KramerEarly Career Scholar, Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies2013
Leslie RobertsonCo-winner, K.D. Srivastava Prize
Office of the Vice-President Research and UBC Press, for Standing Up with Ga’ax̱sta’las2013
Leslie RobertsonCanadian Historical Association Congress award for Standing Up with Ga’ax̱sta’las2013
Leslie RobertsonAmerican Society for Ethnohistory Canadian Aboriginal History Book Prize for Standing Up with Ga’ax̱sta’las2013
Leslie RobertsonCanadian Historical Association Clio Book Prize for Standing Up with Ga’ax̱sta’las2013
Leslie Robertson‘Exemplary Title, American Association of University Presses.’ University of Washington Press2013
Leslie RobertsonWheeler-Voegelen Prize. American Society for Ethnohistory, for Standing Up with Ga’ax̱sta’las.2013
Leslie RobertsonCanadian Aboriginal History Book Prize, Canadian Historical Association, for Standing Up with Ga’ax̱sta’las.2013
Andrew MartindaleEarly Career Scholar, Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies2012
Bruce MillerWinner of K.D. Srivastiva Prize for Excellence in Academic Publishing2012
Shaylih MuehlmannTon Vallen Award, Babylon: Center for the Study of Multicultural Society, Tilburg School of the Humanities, for the article “Von Humboldt’s Parrot: The Countdown of Last Speakers in the Colorado Delta,”2012
Leslie RobertsonPeter Wall Institute Faculty Associate, Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies.2012
Bruce MillerOral History on Trial: Recognizing Aboriginal Narratives in the Courts2011
Shaylih MuehlmannTier 2 Canada Research Chair in Language, Culture and the Environment2011
Gaston GordilloGuggenheim Scholar, The John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation2010
Charles MenziesHonorable Mention, Columbus International Film and Video Festival award for Weather the Storm (2008)2009
Shaylih MuehlmannWinner of the University of California Press/Public Anthropology Publishing Competition2009
Patricia ShawThe Legacy of Hope Foundation, Ottawa, The Musqueam MIB-UBC FNLG program was selected for national best practices in language revitalization2009
Alexia Bloch Killam Faculty Research Fellowship2006


Students

Awards

Graduate awards

The following awards are assigned by the Department of Anthropology on a merit basis to students that meet the eligibility requirements for each individual award. Students do not need to apply for these awards, as nominations are submitted by faculty members and adjudicated by the departmental Student Awards Committee.

Michael Ames Scholarship in Museum Studies

A scholarship of $3,900 has been endowed by the volunteers of the Museum of Anthropology Shop and friends in honour of Dr. Michael Ames, Director of the Museum from 1974 to 1997. The award is offered to a student in Museum Studies.

Charles and Alice Borden Fellowship for Archaeology

A $13,850 fellowship has been endowed by Dr. Charles E. Borden, Professor Emeritus of Archaeology. The fellowship is awarded to a candidate in the program leading to the Ph.D., in Archaeology. Preference is given to a candidate whose thesis is concerned with problems related to the archaeology and cultural history of the Pacific Northwest. A candidate may also be considered whose thesis topic is concerned with problems pertaining to the archaeology and prehistory in any area of the Old or New World.

The Canadian Anthropology Society (CASCA) award for Outstanding Graduating BA Student. This award, launched in 2017, aims to help Canadian university and college anthropology departments recognize their top graduating Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD students and to promote awareness of CASCA.

Wilson Duff Memorial Scholarship

A scholarship of $1,200 has been endowed in memory of Professor Wilson Duff, a member of the Faculty who worked extensively in the field of Indigenous history and culture. The award is available to a student in the Faculty of Arts or Law, who is doing work in the field of Indigenous history and culture. Preference is given to a student of Indigenous ancestry.

Francis Reif Scholarship

A $3,250 scholarship has been made available through an endowment established for a graduate student in the Department of Anthropology. Preference is given to a student who intends to pursue graduate work in the study of Northwest Coast Indigenous art.

Sentinel Prize in Anthropology

A prize totalling $700 has been endowed by members of the fan club of "The Sentinel", a television production filmed on campus.

AGSA-AGSC Travel Award

MA and PhD students are eligible to apply for reimbursements of up to $500 for travel and conference expenses. This award is typically given to six applicants each academic year. Students may only receive this award once during their program.

*the value of each award may vary on an annual basis

Julie Cruikshank Award for Best Graduate Student Paper

The Julie Cruikshank Award is given to the best term paper submitted in an anthropology (ANTH or ARCL) course. This award is given in honour of Julie Cruikshank, one of our most accomplished professors (now emerita).

David Aberle and Kathleen Gough Award in Applied Anthropology

Anthropology Emeriti Professors' Graduate Research Award

The Department of Anthropology wishes to honour the long-term work of its Emeriti Faculty and also to acknowledge and support the excellent research carried out by our graduate students with an annual award for the best research proposal submission by a Ph.D. student, and another award for the best research proposal submission by an MA student.

Undergraduate awards

The Department of Anthropology recognizes undergraduate excellence with two annual awards:

The Julie Cruikshank Award is given to the best term paper submitted in an anthropology (ANTH or ARCL) course. This award is given in honour of Julie Cruikshank, one of our most accomplished professors (now emerita).

The Hawthorn Award is given to the best undergraduate Honours thesis. This award recognizes the founding anthropologist of the department, Harry Hawthorn. Award recipients receive a $50 UBC Bookstore gift card.

UBC also has several awards for which anthropology students are eligible:

The Lui Lin Ping Memorial Scholarship ($1200) is offered to an undergraduate student in the final year of study in international relations, anthropology or geography whose studies are concerned with advancing cross-cultural understanding and who has achieved distinction in written work related to cross-cultural studies. The award is made on the recommendation of the Faculty of Arts in consultation with the respective departments.

*the value of each award may vary on an annual basis

Awardees

Our students stand out for their accomplishments in the classroom and in the pursuit of their chosen research, and are recognized by Departmental and University awards. Our graduate students have one of the most stellar records in the Faculty of Arts for procuring major external grants and fellowships.

Wenner-Gren

NameSupervisorYear
Sarlak, Lara - 2022
Yates, Caitlyn - 2021
Manson, DanielGordillo, Gaston2016
Boltokova, DariaMoore, Pat2015

Trudeau

NameSupervisorYear
Félix GirouxMoore, Pat2023
Rosenoff, LaraMoore, Pat2011
Hennessy, KateMoore, Pat2006

Vanier

NameSupervisorYear
Daurio, MayaTurin, Mark2021
Kina, HilalRobertson, Leslie2020
Nagai, FumiyaBlackburn, Carole2020
Eaton, JonathanShneiderman, Sara2019
Hak Hepburn, MichelleMuehlmann, Shaylih2016
Cullis-Suzuki, SevernShaw, Patricia2016
Whitt, ClaytonGordillo, Gaston2015
Gomez-Ramirez, OraliaBloch, Alexia2012
Docot, DadaBloch, Alexia2011

SSHRC CGS-M

NameSupervisorYear
Hilsden, JaySpeller, Camilla2023
Thorimbert, ClaireWeston, Darlene2022
McKenzie, SophieRobertson, Lesie2021
Bratty, JoanMckellin, William2020
Hanks, RobertTurin, Mark2020
Marshall, JordannaMenzies, Charles2020
Raven, SarahRowley, Susan2020
Socholotiuk, ErinWeston, Darlene2020
Balcombe, ErikaBloch, Alexia2017
Howe Bukowski, NicholasBarker, John2017
Johnson, RainiMartindale, Andrew2017
MacArthur, EwenBloch, Alexia2016
Gendron, Danielle RenéeRobertson, Leslie2014
Manson, DanielGordillo, Gaston2013
Carrier-Moissan, Marie-EveBloch, Alexia2012
Manson, DanielGordillo, Gaston2011
Daniel, StevenMartindale, Andrew2008
Hynes, KylaMartindale, Andrew2008
La Salle, MarinaMartindale, Andrew2006
Ruggles, AngelaMartindale, Andrew2006

SSHRC CGS-D

NameSupervisorYear
Sarlak, Lara -2020
GermAnn, Fraser Barker, John2019
Simons, EricMartindale, Andrew2019
Ritchie, MorganBlake, Michael2018
Agro, HilaryMuehlmann, Shaylih2017
Simons, EricMartindale, Andrew2017
Daniel, StevenMartindale, Andrew2016
Gendron, Danielle RenéeRobertson, Leslie2016
Greene, EzraRowley, Susan2016
Rogova, AnastasiaBloch, Alexia2016
Feltes, EmmaBlackburn, Carole2015
Gan, Gregory -2013
Carrier-Moisan, Marie-Eve -2012
Letham, BrynMartindale, Andrew2012
Arnett, ChrisMartindale, Andrew2010
McKechnie, IainMartindale, Andrew2008

SSHRC Explore Grant

NameSupervisorYear
Daurio, MayaTurin, Mark2021

CASCA

NameSupervisorYear
Emma Jing Li (MA)Rowley, Susan2023
Patrick Morgan Ritchie (PhD)Blake, T. Michael2023
Pengpeng Chen (BA Hons)Speller, Camilla2023
Prasad, Sonya (BA)Hayat, Zahra2023
Manson, Daniel (PhD)Gordillo, Gaston2021
Alexander, Elias (MA)Creighton, Millie2021
McAllister, Maeve - 2021
Gan, Gregory -2019

CIHR

NameSupervisorYear
Parmasad, VishalaMckellin, William2015
McGuire, MarleeMckellin, William2015

Rapid-Response COVID-19 Grants

NameSupervisorYear
Daurio, Maya Turin, Mark2020

Joseph-Armand Bombardier CGS

NameSupervisorYear
Rogova, AnastasiaBloch, Alexia2016

Esri Canada GIS Scholarship

NameSupervisorYear
Daurio, Maya Turin, Mark2021

Khyentse Foundation PhD Scholarship

NameSupervisorYear
Dowd, Patrick Turin, Mark2023

IDRC

NameSupervisorYear
Dewan, Anudeep Shneiderman, Sara2022
Sarlak, Lara - 2020

Mitacs Elevate Postdoctoral Fellowship

NameSupervisorYear
Oosterwijk, Barbara Martindale, Andrew2020

Mitacs Accelerate Fellowship

NameSupervisorYear
Johnson, Raini Martindale, Andrew2017

Public Scholars Initiative

NameSupervisorYear
Bhatacharya, Mahashewta Bloch, Alexia2023
Daurio, Maya Martindale, Andrew2022
Dewan, AnudeepShneiderman, Sara2021
Deberdt, Raphael Kamat, Vinay2021
Hak-Hepburn, MichelleMuehlmann, Shaylih2020
Sarlak, LaraBloch, Alexia2020
Daurio, MayaTurin, Mark2020
Dowd, PatrickTurin, Mark2019
Eaton, JonathanShneiderman, Sara2019
Leischner, EmilyKramer, Jennifer2019
Amburgey, EmilyShneiderman, Sara2018
Ji, YujieTurin, Mark2018
Koike, EvanCreighton, Millie2018
Simons, EricMartindale, Andrew2018
Cullis-Suzuki, SevernShaw, Patricia2016
Feltes, EmmaBlackburn, Carol2016
Fessenden, SarahMenzies, Charles2016
Gan, GregoryBloch, Alexia2016

Killam Doctoral Scholarships

NameSupervisorYear
Dowd, PatrickTurin, Mark2019
Ritchie, MorganBlake, Michael2018
Greene, EzraRowley, Susan2016
Koike, EvanCreighton, Millie2016
Rogova, AnastasiaBloch, Alexia2016

President's Academic Excellence Initiative PhD Award

NameSupervisorYear
Daurio, MayaTurin, Mark2020-23

CMS Grad Fellows Program

NameSupervisorYear
Zheng, LinZeweri, Helena2023

Faculty of Arts Graduate Student Research Award

NameSupervisorYear
Daurio, MayaTurin, Mark2023

Wilson Duff Memorial Scholarship

NameSupervisorYear
Hays, MalikaMartindale, Andrew2019

Charles and Alice Borden Fellowship in Archaeology

NameSupervisorYear
Harris, MeganRowley, Susan2022
Simons, EricMartindale, Andrew2021
Ritchie, Patrick MorganBlake, Michael2019
Brown, ThomasMartindale, Andrew2018
Waber, NicholasPokotylo, David2017
Brown, TJMartindale, Andrew2016
Letham, BrynMartindale, Andrew2016
Waber, NicholasPokotylo, David2016
Merchant, PeterBlake, Michael2015

Michael Ames Museum Scholarship

NameSupervisorYear
Balcombe, Erika Susan, Rowley2023
Leisner, EmilyKramer, Jennifer2022
Leisner, Emily Kramer, Jennifer2020
Smith, ChristopherKramer, Jennifer2019
McAfee, RosaleenLevell, Nicola2018
Leischner, EmilyKramer, Jennifer2017
Roy, RachelLevell, Nicola2016
Solomonian, Adam ArthurKramer, Jennifer2015

Francis Reif Scholarship

NameSupervisorYear
Smith, ChristopherRowley, Susan2023
Ahmed Sayed, Basant Creighton, Millie2022
Leischner, EmilyKramer, Jennifer2019
Sorensen, AmandaRowley, Susan2018
Smith, ChristopherKramer, Jennifer2017
Adler, AllisonBloch, Alexia, Levell, Nicola2016
Wilson, JordanRowley, Susan2015

Wilson Duff Memorial Scholarship

NameSupervisorYear
Hays, MalikaMartindale, Andrew2023
Cheyanne ConnellTurin, Mark2022
Hays, MalikaMartindale, Andrew2019
Thomas, KarenRowley, Susan2018
Balcombe, ErikaLevell, Nicola2017
Volfova, MartinaMoore, Patrick2016
Zawadski, KristaRowley, Susan2015

Sentinel Prize in Anthropology

NameSupervisorYear
Socholotiuk, ErinWeston, Darlene2023
Gunawan, Rosalie Creighton, Millie2022
Alexander, EliasCreighton, Millie2019
Koike, EvanCreighton, Millie2018
Ahmed Sayed, BasantCreighton, Millie2017
Beier, DeanneMoore, Patrick, Turin, Mark2016
Woolman, JasonRowley, Susan2015
Docot, DadaBloch, Alexia2012

AGSA-AGSC Travel Award

NameSupervisorYear
Daurio, MayaTurin, Mark2020

Julie Cruikshank Award for Best Graduate Student Paper

NameSupervisorYear
O’Donnell, MaggieGusterson, Hugh2023
Gamboa, Jose Carvajal-2021
Docot, DadaBloch, Alexia2012

Julie Cruikshank Award for Best Undergraduate Student Paper

NameSupervisorYear
Hilsden, JayKamat, Vinay2023

David Aberle and Kathleen Gough Award in Applied Anthropology

NameSupervisorYear
Manson, DanielGordillo, Gaston2012

Lui Lin Ping Memorial Scholarship

NameSupervisorYear
Medwayosh, AudreyMuehlmann, Shaylih2021

Emeriti Professors Graduate Student Fund

NameSupervisorYear
Paskulin, Lindsey (PhD)n/a2022
Rittman, Sadie (MA)n/a2022


Postdoctoral Fellows

The Department of Anthropology sets an internal deadline each year. For further information and to submit completed applications, please write to anth.grad@ubc.ca

Killam Postdoctoral Fellowship

NameSupervisorYear
Brown, LucyMartindale, Andrew2023
Wind, MayaGusterson, Hugh2022
Roses Labrada, Jorge

Shaw, Patricia2015
Szpak, PaulShaw, Patricia2013
Metcalfe, JessicaBlake, Michael, Richards, Michael2012
Nomakonova, TatianaMartindale, Andrew2011
Leuhrmann, SonjaBloch, Alexia2009

CIHR

NameSupervisorYear
Muller, Megan2023

SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowships

NameSupervisorYear
Lamer, MadeleineWeston, Darlene2023
Gan, GregoryBloch, Alexia2021
McElgunn, HannahRosenblum, Daisy2020
Lewison, ElsieShneiderman, Sara2020
Armstrong. ChelseyMartindale, Andrew2019
Ruis-Serna, DanielGordillo, Gaston2019
Guiry, EricMartindale, Andrew2018
Guiry, EricMartindale, Andrew2016
Metcalfe, JessicaRichards, Michael2015
O’Day, RobinCreighton, Millie2011

Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships

NameSupervisorYear
Roses Labrada, JorgeShaw, Patricia2015
Elfner, EmilyShaw, Patricia2013

NSERC

NameSupervisorYear
Szpak, PaulRichards, Michael2014

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