{"id":3733,"date":"2025-08-22T16:45:11","date_gmt":"2025-08-22T16:45:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ruralsociology.org\/about-us\/awards\/distinguished-service-to-rural-life-award-copy\/"},"modified":"2025-08-22T17:47:06","modified_gmt":"2025-08-22T17:47:06","slug":"william-r-freudenburg-award-of-merit","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/ruralsociology.org\/about-us\/awards\/william-r-freudenburg-award-of-merit\/","title":{"rendered":"William R. Freudenburg Award of Merit\u202f"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n \n William R. Freudenburg Award of Merit\u202f <\/span>\n\n \n \n Honoring a Legacy of Impact in Natural Resources and Environmental Sociology <\/span>\n <\/h1>\n<\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Eligibility<\/h3>
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    Members of the Natural Resources Research and Interest Group (RIG).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    Scholars who have made exceptional contributions to the sociology of natural resources and the environment.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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    Requirements<\/h3>
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      Outstanding research and scholarship: not only the quantity of publications, but their demonstrated impact on the field.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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      Substantive influence on the trajectory of thinking in natural resources and environmental sociology.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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      Applied impact beyond academia: contributions to agencies, organizations, or partnerships related to natural resources.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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      Additional contributions: significant outreach, graduate student mentorship, and\/or teaching in the field.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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      \n \n Previous Award Winners <\/span>\n\n \n \n <\/span>\n <\/h1>\n<\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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      2025<\/span><\/h3>\n
      Jessica D. Ulrich-Schad<\/span><\/span>\u202f<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h5> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
      \n \n
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      2024<\/span><\/h3>\n
      Kirsten <\/span>Floress<\/span><\/span>\u202f<\/span><\/h5> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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      2023<\/span><\/h3>\n
      N\/A<\/h5> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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      2022<\/span><\/h3>\n
      Peggy Petrzelka
      Thomas Beckley<\/span><\/span><\/h5> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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      2021<\/span><\/h3>\n
      N\/A<\/span><\/h5> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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      \n \n
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      2020<\/span><\/h3>\n
      Kathryn J. Brasier<\/span><\/span>\u202f<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/h5> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
      \n \n
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      2019<\/span><\/h3>\n
      J. Gordon Arbuckle<\/span><\/span>\u202f<\/span><\/span><\/h5> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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      2018<\/span><\/h3>\n
      N\/A<\/span><\/h5> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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      2017<\/span><\/h3>\n
      Lois Wright Morton<\/span><\/span>\u202f<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/h5> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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      2016<\/span><\/h3>\n
      N\/A<\/span><\/h5> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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      2015<\/span><\/h3>\n
      Courtney <\/span>G. Flint<\/span>\u202f<\/span><\/span><\/h5> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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      2014<\/span><\/h3>\n
      Richard<\/span> Clark Stedman<\/span>\u202f<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/h5> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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      2013<\/span><\/h3>\n
      Douglas Jackson-Smith\u202f<\/span><\/h5> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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      2012<\/span><\/h3>\n
      N\/A<\/span><\/h5> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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      2011<\/span><\/h3>\n
      N\/A<\/span><\/h5> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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      2010<\/span><\/h3>\n
      Shirley<\/span> Laska<\/span>\u202f<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/h5> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
      \n \n
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      2009<\/span><\/h3>\n
      Tom<\/span> Rudel<\/span>\u202f<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/h5> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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      2008<\/span><\/h3>\n
      Steve<\/span> Brechin<\/span>\u202f<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/h5> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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      2007<\/span><\/h3>\n
      Matthew<\/span> S. Carroll<\/span><\/span>\u202f<\/span><\/h5> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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      2006<\/span><\/h3>\n
      N\/A<\/span><\/h5> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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      2005<\/span><\/h3>\n
      Bob<\/span> Gramling\u202f\u202f<\/span>\u202f<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h5> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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      2004<\/span><\/h3>\n
      Peter<\/span> J. Nowak\u202f\u202f<\/span>\u202f<\/span><\/span><\/h5> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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      2003<\/span><\/h3>\n
      Louise<\/span> Fortman<\/span><\/span><\/h5> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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      2002<\/span><\/h3>\n
      Conner<\/span> Bailey\u202f\u202f<\/span>\u202f<\/span><\/span><\/h5> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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      2001<\/span><\/h3>\n
      Thomas<\/span> A. Heberlein<\/span><\/span><\/h5> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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      2000<\/span><\/h3>\n
      A.<\/span> E. Luloff\u202f<\/span><\/span><\/h5> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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      1999<\/span><\/h3>\n
      Frederick<\/span> H. Buttel\u202f<\/span>\u202f<\/span>\u202f<\/span><\/h5> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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      1998<\/span><\/h3>\n
      Roy<\/span> E. Rickson\u202f\u202f<\/span><\/span><\/h5> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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      1997<\/span><\/h3>\n
      Peter<\/span> R. Sinclair\u202f\u202f<\/span>\u202f<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h5> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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      1996<\/span><\/h3>\n
      Bonnie<\/span> McKay\u202f<\/span><\/span><\/h5> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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      1995<\/span><\/h3>\n
      Nancy<\/span> Lee Peluso<\/span>\u202f<\/span><\/h5> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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      1994<\/span><\/h3>\n
      Richard<\/span> S. <\/span>Krannich<\/span>\u202f\u202f<\/span>\u202f<\/span><\/span><\/h5> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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      1993<\/span><\/h3>\n
      Wade<\/span> H. Andrews\u202f\u202f<\/span><\/span>\u202f<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h5> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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      1992<\/span><\/h3>\n
      William<\/span> R. Freudenburg\u202f\u202f<\/span>\u202f<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h5> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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      1991<\/span><\/h3>\n
      N\/A<\/span><\/h5> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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      1990<\/span><\/h3>\n
      Paul Myers\u202f<\/span><\/h5> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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      1989<\/span><\/h3>\n
      Ted<\/span> L. Napier\u202f<\/span><\/span><\/h5> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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      1988<\/span><\/h3>\n
      Rabel<\/span> J. Burdge<\/span><\/span><\/h5> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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      1987<\/span><\/h3>\n
      Donald<\/span> R. Field\u202f\u202f<\/span>\u202f<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h5> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
      \n \n
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      1986<\/span><\/h3>\n
      Denton<\/span> E. Morrison\u202f\u202f<\/span><\/span><\/h5> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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      1985<\/span><\/h3>\n
      William<\/span> R.
      <\/span><\/span>Catton, Jr.
      Riley E. Dunlap<\/span>\u202f\u202f<\/span>\u202f<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h5> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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      1984<\/span><\/h3>\n
      William<\/span> R.
      Burch, Jr.\u202f\u202f<\/span>\u202f<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/h5> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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      1983<\/span><\/h3>\n
      Walter<\/span> I. Firey\u202f\u202f<\/span><\/span><\/h5> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
      \n <\/div>\n
      \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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      \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      William R. Freudenburg Award of Merit\u202f Honoring a Legacy of Impact in Natural Resources and Environmental Sociology Eligibility Members of the Natural Resources Research and Interest Group (RIG). Scholars who have made exceptional contributions to the sociology of natural resources and the environment. Requirements Outstanding research and scholarship: not only the quantity of publications, but their demonstrated impact on the field. Substantive influence on the trajectory of thinking in natural resources and environmental sociology. Applied impact beyond academia: contributions to agencies, organizations, or partnerships related to natural resources. Additional contributions: significant outreach, graduate student mentorship, and\/or teaching in the field. Previous Award Winners 2025 Jessica D. Ulrich-Schad\u202f 2024 Kirsten Floress\u202f 2023 N\/A 2022 Peggy PetrzelkaThomas Beckley 2021 N\/A 2020 Kathryn J. Brasier\u202f  2019 J. Gordon Arbuckle\u202f 2018 N\/A 2017 Lois Wright Morton\u202f\u00a0 2016 N\/A 2015 Courtney G. Flint\u202f 2014 Richard Clark Stedman\u202f\u00a0 2013 Douglas Jackson-Smith\u202f 2012 N\/A 2011 N\/A 2010 Shirley Laska\u202f\u00a0 2009 Tom Rudel\u202f\u00a0 2008 Steve Brechin\u202f\u00a0 2007 Matthew S. Carroll\u202f 2006 N\/A 2005 Bob Gramling\u202f\u202f\u202f\u00a0 2004 Peter J. Nowak\u202f\u202f\u202f 2003 Louise Fortman 2002 Conner Bailey\u202f\u202f\u202f 2001 Thomas A. Heberlein 2000 A. E. Luloff\u202f 1999 Frederick H. Buttel\u202f\u202f\u202f 1998 Roy E. Rickson\u202f\u202f 1997 Peter R. Sinclair\u202f\u202f\u202f\u00a0 1996 Bonnie McKay\u202f […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"parent":677,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3733","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","has-post-title","has-post-date","has-post-category","has-post-tag","has-post-comment","has-post-author",""],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ruralsociology.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3733","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ruralsociology.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ruralsociology.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ruralsociology.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ruralsociology.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3733"}],"version-history":[{"count":33,"href":"https:\/\/ruralsociology.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3733\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3779,"href":"https:\/\/ruralsociology.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3733\/revisions\/3779"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ruralsociology.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/677"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ruralsociology.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3733"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}