The Midwest Archaeological Conference, Inc. (MAC) Distinguished Career Award recognizes archaeologists who have demonstrated excellence and contributed significantly and regularly to the advancement of Midwestern archaeology. This award is the highest one made by MAC and truly honors someone with a lifetime commitment to Midwestern archaeology and achievement in areas such as research, publication, collection and site preservation, program development, and education. We encourage everyone to consider and nominate those senior archaeologists who have participated in archaeology for a substantial part of their career and contributed significantly and broadly to Midwestern archaeology. The nominee must be alive at the time of nomination and does not have to be a member of the MAC at the time of nomination, but typically will have been an active member and contributed to the mission of the organization during their career.

Annual calls for nominations will be sent to the membership in the spring of each year. The award winner(s) will be recognized at the fall MAC Annual Business Meeting and invited to comment on his/her career. An award citation will also be published on the MAC website.

Requirements for nominating an archaeologist include a letter explaining why the nominee is qualified for the Distinguished Career Award and a copy of his/her current CV. Letters of support must be included with the nomination packet. Previous years nominations that were not elected for award can be updated and resubmitted. Nominations should be sent to the MAC President (president@midwestarchaeology.org) in a pdf format. The MAC Executive Committee will make the final selection.

Know someone you would like to nominate for the award in 2024, send your PDF packet by TBD.

 

Award Recipients

2023 DCA Mark Schurr

Mark Schurr

2023 Distinquished Career Award Recipient Mark Schurr, University of Notre Dame


Janet Brashler with Jodie O'Gorman

Jodie O'Gorman

2022 Distinguished Career Award Recipient Jodie O'Gorman, Michigan State University


Janet Brashler with Ernie Boszhardt

Robert “Ernie” Boszhardt

2022 Distinguished Career Award Recipient Robert “Ernie” Boszhardt


2021 DCA Bill Green

Bill Green

2021 Distinguished Career Award Recipient Bill Green, Beloit College and University of Iowa


2021 DCA Don Weir

Don Weir

2021 Distinguished Career Award Recipient Don Weir, Commonwealth Heritage Group


Jane Buikstra, 2020 Distinguished Career Award Recipient

Jane Buikstra

2020 Distinguished Career Award Recipient Jane Buikstra, Arizona State University, School of Human Evolution 


John Richards, 2020 Distinguished Career Award Recipient

John Richards

2020 Distinguished Career Award Recipient John Richards, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee


2019 Distinguished award winner

Robert J. Jeske

2019 Distinguished Career Award Recipient Robert J. Jeske, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, with MAC Board President John F. Doershuk


2019 Distinguished award winner

Terry J. Martin

2019 Distinguished Career Award Recipient Terry J. Martin, Illinois State Museum (retired), with MAC Board President John F. Doershuk


Bonnie Styles 2018

Bonnie Styles

2018 Distinguished Career Award Recipient Bonnie Styles, Director of ISM Emeritus, with MAC Board President Jodie O'Gorman


John Kelly 2018

John Kelly

2018 Distinguished Career Award Recipient John Kelly, Washington University, with MAC Board President Jodie O'Gorman


Kenneth Farnsworth 2017

Kenneth Farnsworth

2017 Distinguished Career Award Recipient Kenneth Farnsworth with MAC Board President Jodie O'Gorman


David Overstreet 2016

David Overstreet

2016 Distinguished Career Award Recipient David Overstreet with MAC Board President Robert Jeske


James Theler 2016

James Theler

2016 Distinguished Career Award Recipient James Theler with MAC Board President Robert Jeske


James Stoltman 2015

James Stoltman

2015 Distinguished Career Award Recipient James Stoltman with MAC Board President Robert Jeske


Lynne Goldstein 2015

Lynne Goldstein

2015 Distinguished Career Award Recipient Lynne Goldstein with MAC Board President Robert Jeske


Cheryl Ann Munson and Thomas E. Emerson 2014

Cheryl Ann Munson and Thomas E. Emerson

2014 Distinguished Career Award Recipients Cheryl Ann Munson and Thomas E. Emerson. (Photo by Linda Alexander)


Mark Seeman and N'omi Greber 2013

Mark Seeman and N’omi Greber

2013 Distinguished Careers Award Recipients Mark Seeman (left) and N’omi Greber (right) with MAC Board President Mark Lynott (center).


Charles Cleland 2012

Charles Cleland

2012 Distinguished Career Award Recipient Charles Cleland with MAC Board President George Milner


William Lovis 2011

William Lovis

2011 Distinguished Career Award Recipient


William Dancey 2010

William Dancey

2010 Distinguished Career Award Recipient


James Brown 2009

James Brown

2009 Distinguished Career Award Recipient


Robert L. Hall 2008

Robert L. Hall

2008 Distinguished Career Award


Melvin L. Fowler 2008

Melvin L. Fowler

2008 Special Posthumous Distinguished Career Award