Arnold Zwicky Award

About the award

This award, given for the first time in 2021, is intended to recognize LGBTQ+ scholars and those whose work in linguistics benefits the LGBTQ+ community. The award is named for Arnold Zwicky, the first openly LGBTQ+ president of the LSA. The winner will be recognized at the Awards Ceremony at the LSA Annual Meeting. Beginning in 2022, as part of the Award, the Award winner will receive a one-year complimentary membership to the LSA.

The award is given every year, as nominations warrant.

Nomination closes at 11:59 PM (ET) on June 30, 2025.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants will be current members of the LSA. Eligibility is open to applicants at any career stage.

Nominations will be considered based on excellence in one or more of the following areas, focusing on the most recent 3-5 year period:

• Scholarship, including presentations, reports, and publications
• Outreach outside academia, including podcasts, interviews, and journalistic publications
• Service to the LGBTQ+ community, including activist and advocacy work, organizing, and mentorship
• Teaching, including excellence in course design, creation of teaching materials, and sharing teaching expertise with others
• Other information relevant to the award

Nominations consist of a nomination form, an updated CV for the nominee, and a brief citation that can be read at the presentation of the award. Self-nominations and nominations by others are equally welcome.

Selection

The LSA Committee on LGBTQ+ [Z] Issues in Linguistics reviews nominations and makes recommendations to the Executive Committee, which must formally approve the recommendations. The winner will be recognized at the Awards Ceremony at the next LSA Annual Meeting in January.