AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award
Deadline: December 31, 2023
This annual award recognizes members of the Association who have made truly outstanding contributions to the geographic field due to their special competence in teaching or research. Funding for the award comes from the estate of Ruby S. Miller. More than one award may be awarded each year. Each award includes $1,000 and a commemorative plaque.
Eligibility:
Members from all fields of geography are eligible for the award. Nominations (including self-nominations) are welcome. Special competence in teaching or research may include cases of outstanding mentoring, informal education, basic or applied research.
As with all other AAG awards, eligibility also rests on the candidate being in compliance with the AAG Professional Conduct Policy. Nominations may be rescinded, and the award may also be revoked for any candidate or awardee who is found in violation of the AAG’s Professional Conduct Policy.
Submissions:
Please gather all required supporting documents before completing the online Application Form at this link. The Application Form will require you to upload all supporting documents before being able to complete your submission. You cannot save a partially completed form and return to it later, so it is important to have all materials ready before accessing the online Application Form. For questions or difficulties, please contact grantsawards@aag.org.
About Ruby and Will Miller:
Ruby S. Skinner and E. Willard “Will” Miller were married for more than sixty years and collaborated in life and work. When World War II broke out, they both went to work in Washington, DC. At the end of the war, they went to Pennsylvania State University where Dr. Miller started the Geography Department and Ruby became the maps librarian. Ruby established and developed the map collection, and taught classes on the use of maps until her retirement. After retirement in 1977, she and her husband co-authored more than 20 books and continued to travel in Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America. Ruby graduated from Kittanning High School and Chatham College in Pittsburgh, attended Clarion University, and did graduate work at the University of Pittsburgh. Will was also founder of the Pennsylvania Geographical Society and played important leadership roles in the Association of American Geographers, American Geographical Society, and the National Council for Geographic Education. Will and Ruby Miller received countless awards and in turn were generous with their time, talent, energy, and funds to a wide range of professional and community organizations.
Photograph and biographical information thanks to Penn State Department of Geography, AGS, and AAG Newsletters.
AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award Recipients
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Anne Bonds
Anne Bonds, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, is recognized for her critical studies of race, gender and poverty. She has researched prison expansion as a mode of economic development in the rural mountain West, and more recently post-incarceration survival strategies of women in Milwaukee. She is also recognized for collaborative community-engaged projects that seek to improve racial and economic justice.

2022 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award
Anne Bonds
2022 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award
Anne Bonds, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, is recognized for her critical studies of race, gender and poverty. She has researched prison expansion as a mode of economic development in the rural mountain West, and more recently post-incarceration survival strategies of women in Milwaukee. She is also recognized for collaborative community-engaged projects that seek to improve racial and economic justice.

Heejun Chang
Heejun Chang, Portland State University, has established himself as a leading researcher pursuing an understanding of complex transdisciplinary water issues across scales. His high-impact societally relevant geographic research includes comparative studies and collaboration with international colleagues and communities.

2022 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award
Heejun Chang
2022 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award
Heejun Chang, Portland State University, has established himself as a leading researcher pursuing an understanding of complex transdisciplinary water issues across scales. His high-impact societally relevant geographic research includes comparative studies and collaboration with international colleagues and communities.

Jennifer Collins
2020 Jennifer Collins of the University of South Florida, for her impressive record of high quality scholarship, matched by equally remarkable achievements in teaching, student mentorship, public service, as well as significant contributions to the field of climatology.

2020 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award
Jennifer Collins
2020 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award
2020 Jennifer Collins of the University of South Florida, for her impressive record of high quality scholarship, matched by equally remarkable achievements in teaching, student mentorship, public service, as well as significant contributions to the field of climatology.

John Clark Archer
2019 John Clark Archer, University of Nebraska Lincoln for his significant contributions to the fields ofpolitical geography (specifically the geography of United States politics), cartography, population geography, and demographics.

2019 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award
John Clark Archer
2019 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award
2019 John Clark Archer, University of Nebraska Lincoln for his significant contributions to the fields ofpolitical geography (specifically the geography of United States politics), cartography, population geography, and demographics.

Judith A. Tyner
2018 Judith A. Tyner, Professor Emerita, California State University, Long Beach for her extensive distinguished, and pioneering career, with significant contributions to the fields of map design, historical cartography, persuasive cartography, textile maps, and lunar cartography and for being a champion women in geography and cartography.

2018 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award
Judith A. Tyner
2018 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award
2018 Judith A. Tyner, Professor Emerita, California State University, Long Beach for her extensive distinguished, and pioneering career, with significant contributions to the fields of map design, historical cartography, persuasive cartography, textile maps, and lunar cartography and for being a champion women in geography and cartography.
Hui Lin
2017 Hui Lin, Chinese University of Hong Kong for his scholarly work, which represents a grand synthesis of human and physical geography, using cutting-edge geospatial technologies.
2017 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award
Hui Lin
2017 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award
2017 Hui Lin, Chinese University of Hong Kong for his scholarly work, which represents a grand synthesis of human and physical geography, using cutting-edge geospatial technologies.

Mei-Po Kwan
2016 Mei-Po Kwan, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for her record of research accomplishment, impact, and contribution, particularly in GIScience, human mobility, and environmental health, both within the discipline of geography and beyond.

2016 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award
Mei-Po Kwan
2016 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award
2016 Mei-Po Kwan, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for her record of research accomplishment, impact, and contribution, particularly in GIScience, human mobility, and environmental health, both within the discipline of geography and beyond.

Qihao Weng
2015 Qihao Weng, Indiana State University for his pioneering contributions to the field of remote sensing and its geographical applications, particularly in relation to urban environments, through teaching, collaborative research, conferences and high impact publications.

2015 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award
Qihao Weng
2015 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award
2015 Qihao Weng, Indiana State University for his pioneering contributions to the field of remote sensing and its geographical applications, particularly in relation to urban environments, through teaching, collaborative research, conferences and high impact publications.

Jane Southworth
2011 Jane Southworth, University of Florida for her excellence in teaching, amazing dedication to educating and mentoring graduate students at her institution, strong grant and publication record and international visibility of her research in lang-change science

2011 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award
Jane Southworth
2011 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award
2011 Jane Southworth, University of Florida for her excellence in teaching, amazing dedication to educating and mentoring graduate students at her institution, strong grant and publication record and international visibility of her research in lang-change science

Iain Hay
2010 Iain Hay, Flinders University for his international leadership in geographic education, heightening the profile of geography and global education, facilitating and institutionalizing networks of academics and educators, and enhancing teaching and learning in K-12 and university geography around the world.

2010 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award
Iain Hay
2010 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award
2010 Iain Hay, Flinders University for his international leadership in geographic education, heightening the profile of geography and global education, facilitating and institutionalizing networks of academics and educators, and enhancing teaching and learning in K-12 and university geography around the world.