Freeman Award
This award is given to a distinguished scholar in the field of social networks for significant contributions to the scientific study of social structure.The award is designed to be given to a young scholar, someone in the earlier stages of their research career -- someone under 40 years old or someone who has received their PhD within the past 10 years. Consideration is also given to persons who have come to education later in life or who have interrupted their career for any reason (family, health, etc.)
The winner of this award is selected by a committee, hereinafter referred to as the Committee, designated by the INSNA Board president (or his/her representative). Suggested recipients are nominated by members of the Committee and by any interested members of the social network community at large. The Committee considers the nominated candidates' contributions and qualifications through a series of electronic discussions. The award winner is chosen by the Committee using a "preferential ballot" procedure as suggested by Doug Carroll and Joseph Kruskal.
The award is chosen every other year, starting in the year 2002, and announced that year at the annual Sunbelt conference. The award winner will be presented the award the following year at the Sunbelt conference. In addition, the award recipient will give a 1 hour plenary lecture at the Sunbelt which reviews the work for which the award was given and/or an overview of an area of social network analysis. Expenses for the conference will be part of the award.
2012 Winner – David R. Schaefer
David Schaefer received his PhD from the University of Arizona in 2006 and is currently (2013) an Associate Professor at Arizona State University in the School of Social and Family Dynamics. David has an impressive diversity of work and has published in several different areas. His papers exhibit originality in the questions addressed and their elaboration, and show excellence in executing and reporting the research. He has obtained several important grants. His research has two main strands, social exchange and influence in networks. He is interested in the role of social networks in the diffusion of information, norms, and influence, with outcomes related to delinquency, health, social capital, and inequality. He focuses on network dynamics and the forces that drive network evolution. His latest research considers how forms of exchange and the types of resources available to people impact the development of inequality, trust, and solidarity. A link to his CV is here: https://webapp4.asu.edu/myprofile/cv.do?eid=220403
2010 Winner - Arnout van de Rijt
Arnout van de Rijt received his PhD from Cornell University in 2007 and is currently (2011) an Assistant Professor at SUNY Stony Brook. He has put together an outstanding record of publication in a very short time. He has made significant contributions to our understanding of the micro-macro linkages that are so important for network research across many substantive areas. Characteristic of his work is a talent for teasing new derivations out of classic social theories. The problems he picks to work on are important and the contributions he makes foundational. A link to his CV is here: http://mysbfiles.stonybrook.edu/~avanderijt/vandeRijt.pdf
2008 Winner - Carter Butts
Carter received his PhD at Carnegie Mellon in 2002 and is currently an Associate Professor at The Institute for Mathematical Behavioral Sciences at the University of California, Irvine. His accomplishments include the Herbert A Simon Dissertation Award for "Spatial Models of Large-Scale Interpersonal Networks" and 37 publications."My research involves the application of formal (i.e., mathematical and computational) techniques to theoretical and methodological problems within the areas of social network analysis, mathematical sociology and methodological problems within the areas of social network analysis, mathematical sociology, quantitative methodology, and human judgment and decision making."
(Butts, http://www.faculty.uci.edu/profile.cfm?faculty_id=5057, 2009)
2006 Winner - Garry Robins
"Garry's PhD was completed at the University of Melbourne in 1998, winning the 1999 Psychometric Society Dissertation Prize and the 2000 Distinguished Dissertation Award of the American Psychological Society (Division 5: Evaluation, Measurement and Statistics). In this work, Garry developed his interest in exponential random graph models, and he outlined a general framework for constructing models for social influence, social selection, exponential random graph models in discrete time and models for valued networks. Since completing his PhD, he has elaborated these possibilities further and developed increasingly more effective models within the general framework. He has also worked at both theoretical and empirical levels on the interface between social networks, the self, personality and mental health. His 24 peer-reviewed publications to date have included papers in the American Journal of Sociology, Psychometrika, Sociological Methodology, Social Networks, Journal of Mathematical Sociology and Personality and Social Psychology Review. Garry is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Melbourne."
"... Garry's contribution to the field of social network research has been systematic and substantial."
2005 Winner - James Moody
"... He does innovative, high quality, rigorous social network research that is substantively meaningful. He publishes his work in the best journals and has done a lot in a relatively short period of time."
"... Jim is clearly an innovator in both social network methods and theory. He's developed new analysis techniques, he's been instrumental in the analysis & creation of new network datasets (Add Health, his email network data project), and he regularly contributes to the SNA community by offering his expert assistance to newcomers and veterans alike."
" ... Jim's research in social network analysis is first rate, and he is widely regarded as an expert in network analyses. He has already published widely in both network methods and applications, including multiple publications in the most prestigious outlets. Jim is also very widely regarded as an expert in network methods. ... he is routinely relied on for his expertise regarding many diverse aspects of network analysis."
"... Jim Moody is an exceptional young scholar whose research interests focus on social networks. He has make methodological contributions to this field in studies focusing on adolescent behavior, health behavior and a range of related topics in the social sciences. He has already at an early stage in his career published widely and repeatedly in the top sociology and social science journals. He is also an excellent teacher, which I can attest to directly having visited his classes and observed and interacted with the many graduate students he his mentoring. In addition, he is an exceptional colleague and person. "
"... Jim Moody is the perfect scholar for this award. He has published a number of empirical articles on different kinds of social networks: disease transmission, sexual contacts, adolescent friendships, and biotechnology firms. In addition, he has contributed cutting edge methods to social network research, such as the identification of cohesive ridge structures and the use of dynamic network visualization. The breadth and depth of Jim's contribution is impressive, and especially when one considers his career has only just begun. Jim's work has already changed the field of network analysis, and his current work will likely bring network theory to the fore of social science research. I hope the field of social networks recognizes and rewards Jim's contributions so that he redoubles his scholarly efforts for years to come."
