ADEC Awards Program

Criteria for Death Education Award

1. Expertise in the field as demonstrated by: advanced academic degrees, professional honors, awards, reputation in one’s discipline.
2. Excellence in teaching as demonstrated by: judgment of peers, department chair, dean and /or academic department, development of teaching materials, new courses, and student evaluations.
3. Scholarly ability as demonstrated by: publication record and/or membership on editorial boards of scholarly journals in the field of dying, death and bereavement.
4. Continuing growth as demonstrated by: keeping abreast of changes in the field and/or being at the cutting edge of developing ideas in the field.

Criteria for Clinical Practice Award

1. Excellence in clinical practice as demonstrated by: honors, awards, reputation in one’s area of specialization, judgment by peers, supervisors and /or administrators, clients.
2. Contributions to the field as demonstrated by: innovations in practice, dissemination of knowledge based on personal experience and /or research, leadership in organization focusing on clinical practice as it relates to dying, death, and bereavement.
3. Continuing growth as demonstrated by: keeping abreast of changes in the field and/or being at the cutting edge of developing ideas in clinical practice.

Criteria for the Research Recognition Award

1. Conducting research that adds/contributes significantly to the body of knowledge in studies concerning death and loss.
2. Demonstrating an ongoing consistent record of research and publication in the area of death education and/or grief counseling.
3. Research has been subject to peer review (accepted for publication in a refereed journal, reviewed by a grant funding agency, or accepted for presentation at a conference sponsored by a professional association in which proposals for presentation have been reviewed prior to acceptance.)
4. Findings have been cited by other researchers or authors.
5. Findings have served as a foundation upon which prominent theories or practices have been constructed.

Criteria for ADEC Service Award

1. Excellence in service to the Association as demonstrated by: consistent committee participation and other high-quality efforts to benefit the growth and development of the Association.
2. Contributions to the activities of the Association as demonstrated by: innovating Association programs, conducting workshops, assisting with conferences, serving the Association.

ADEC Lifetime Achievement Award

Criteria for Lifetime Achievement Award

• theory development
• presentations at professional conferences
• teaching/training
• research
• publications
• professional practice

5.  The Lifetime Achievement Award is the only award for which a deceased person may be nominated that year.
6.  The Awards Committee shall determine who receives the award(s) and shall inform the board of their decisions.

Lifetime Achievement Award Nominating Procedures

1. Self-nominations will not be accepted.
2. Nominating letters should address the nominee's qualifications for this award and contributions to the fields of death education, counseling, research and/or caring for the dying.
3. THREE (3) letters of support should be included from individuals who are knowledgeable about the candidate’s professional accomplishments.  
4. The nomination must address the nominee's qualifications for this award and contributions to the study and practice of thanatology.  Material supporting the candidate’s achievements, such as professional articles, publication lists, etc. may be submitted.
5. The candidate’s curriculum vitae should be included in the nomination packet.
6. In the event that the nominee is deceased, it is the responsibility of the person nominating the individual to provide the necessary information supporting the nomination.  In addition, the nominating individual should have contact with a family member or friend who, if chosen, will accept the award.

Updated: August 12, 2009