Cybernetics ...
  "the science and art of understanding"... - Humberto Maturana
  "interfaces hard competence with the hard problems of the soft sciences" - Heinz von Foerster
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  ASC AWARDS


    The ASC offers two major awards to cyberneticians of distinction and / or contributions to the field of cybernetics: the Norbert Wiener and the Warren McCulloch medals.

In 2007 the ASC Executive Board redefined these awards to clarify the distinction between them and the contexts within which they recognize their recipients.

These awards will be made on an as needed/as deserved basis, and there may be years when no award is made, just as there may be years when several awards are made.

More recently, the ASC has begun awarding the Heinz von Foerster award for young people participating in ASC annual conferences.

More information on these awards is given below.
 



  THE NORBERT WIENER MEDAL


The Wiener medal acknowledges SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS.   The Wiener Medal for Cybernetics was originally established to recognize outstanding achievements or contributions in the field of cybernetics per se.

The Wiener medal is awarded to individuals who have made a major and prolonged contribution to Cybernetics through work in the field, in any number of ways: for instance, through original work or through extensive support. The Wiener medal acknowledges achievement within Cybernetics.
 

   

 
The design of the Wiener medal is illustrated in the photos above.

The front of the medal shows a bas relief of Norbert Wiener, and the obverse is inscribed with the name of the recipient.
 



  THE WARREN MCCULLOCH AWARD


The McCulloch award recognizes DISTINCTION AND PROMISE.   The Warren McCulloch Award has been another American Society for Cybernetics citation issued in some years. Up until 2005, the McCulloch Award was a plaque, typically given to recognize significant applications of cybernetics.

The McCulloch award is given to a young academic at or near the beginning of their career for work of distinction and promise. It also recognises substantial work of a cybernetic nature applied outside the field itself. The McCulloch award recognizes promise; and cybernetic achievement (by a person of any age) in other fields.
 



  NOMINATIONS FOR ASC AWARDS


    The ASC welcomes nominations for the Wiener and McCulloch Awards.

For more information on the nomination process and the procedure for nomination submission, please refer to the Nominations page.
 



  RECIPIENTS OF WIENER AND MCCULLOCH AWARDS


    1968
 
  Robert C. Wood
 
    1968
 
  Warren McCulloch
 
    1969
 
  Stuart A. Kauffman
 
    1969
 
  Stephen Grossberg
 
    1970
 
  Stafford Beer
 
    1972
 
  Natalia Bechtereva
 
    1983
 
  Heinz von Foerster
 
    1984
 
  Gregory Bateson
 
    1984
 
  Gordon Pask
 
    1986
 
  Humberto Maturana
 
    1993
 
  Herbert Brün
 
    1993
 
  Louis Kauffman
 
    2001
 
  Klaus Krippendorff
 
    2005
 
  Ernst von Glasersfeld
 
Certificate & Award Video
    2007
 
  Pille Bunnell
 
Award Certificate (PDF)
    2007
 
  Charles François
 
Award Certificate (PDF)
 
    2007
 
  Laurence Richards
 
Award Certificate (PDF)
 
    2007
 
  Stuart Umpleby
 
Award Certificate (PDF)
 
    2008
 
  Humberto Maturana
 
Award Certificate (PDF)
Maturana's Comments (PDF)

 
    2008
 
  Francisco Varela
 
Award Certificate (PDF)
 
    2008
 
  Ricardo Uribe
 
Award Certificate (PDF)

 
    2008
 
  Richard Jung
 
Award Certificate (PDF)
 
    2008
 
  Lars Löfgren
 
Award Certificate (PDF)
 
    2008
 
  Søren Brier
 
Award Certificate (PDF)
 
    2008
 
  Alexander Riegler
 
Award Certificate (PDF)
 
    2011
 
  Mary Catherine Bateson
 
Award Certificate (PDF)
MC Bateson's Comments (HTML)

 
    2011
 
  Robert Vallée
 
Award Certificate (PDF)
 
    2011
 
  Thomas Fischer
 
Award Certificate (PDF)

 
    2012
 
  Susan Parenti
 
Award Certificate (PDF)

 
    2013
 
  Bernard Scott
 
Award Certificate (PDF)

 
    2013
 
  Heinz von Foerster Society
 
Award Certificate (PDF)

 
    2014
 
  Louis H. Kauffman
 
Award Certificate (PDF)

 
    2014
 
  Allenna Leonard
 
Award Certificate (PDF)

 
    2014
 
  Paul Pangaro
 
Award Certificate (PDF)

 
    2014
 
  Randall Whitaker
 
Award Certificate (PDF)

 
    2014
 
  Jennifer Wilby
 
Award Certificate (PDF)

 


  THE HEINZ VON FOERSTER AWARD


The von Foerster Award recognizes YOUNG PERSONS' CONTRIBUTIONS.   The Heinz von Foerster Award is a recently-established American Society for Cybernetics citation.

At each of our conferences, an award is made to a young person who has presented their work. This award honours Heinz von Foerster, the leading light in founding the Society, who was the central figure in the development of second order cybernetics and whose creative scientific work was balanced by his teaching and encouragement of young people.

The recipient is awarded a travel subsidy to the next year's ASC conference(up to $500), free conference registration, and a year's membership in the Society.

The von Foerster award is given to the young person whose contribution to the given year's conference is voted most notable by the ASC Executive Board.
 



  RECIPIENTS OF HEINZ VON FOERSTER AWARDS


    2004
 
  Elizabeth Simpson
 
    2008
 
  Lee Worden
 
    2009
 
  Kate Slaymaker and Melanie Meltzer
 
    2010
 
  Robert Helland
 
    2011
 
  Delfina Fantini
 
    2012
 
  Philip Baron
 
    2013
 
  Chathurika Kannangara
 
    2014
 
  Ben Sweeting
 


  HONORARY LIFE FELLOWS


    2006
 
  Ernst von Glasersfeld (1917-2010)
 
    2006
 
  Mary Catherine Bateson
 
    2012
 
  Klaus Krippendorff
 
    2014
 
  Stuart Umpleby
 
    2014
 
  Roger C. Conant
 


  OTHER AWARDS


    The American Society for Cybernetics occasionally presents other awards in recognition of service to the Society or to the field of cybernetics.

1986 - Stuart A. Umpleby

"In appreciation of his sustained contribution to the American Society for Cybernetics as President from 1980 to 1983 and as a primary architect of the rebuilding of the Society"

2009 - Barbara Dawes Vogl

"... countless ASC members have benefited from the experience of Barbara's curiosity and invitations. Recognizing her warm demeanor, inquisitive personality, dedication, and innumerable contributions to the cybernetics community, the ASC hereby makes this Special Award to Barbara Vogl. While she has a special interest in the practice of the 'spiritual', it has been Barbara's spirit that has caught our attention and imagination. We are grateful for her contributions, which will surely inform new iterations of ASC membership for years to come."

2011 - Randall Whitaker

Award Certificate (PDF)

2014 - Aartje Hulstein

Award Certificate (PDF)

2014 - Ranulph Glanville

Award Certificate (PDF)

Aartje Hulstein and Ranulph Glanville award sculptures


 


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    Wiener Medal Imagery Credits:
Photos: Iain Young
Digitization: Kalev Tait