ISSS Student Awards

The International Society for the Systems Sciences (ISSS) offers several prestigious awards to encourage and recognize outstanding research by students in the systems sciences. These awards are generally presented at the annual meetings and are open to students from around the world.

Main student awards offered by the ISSS

Sir Geoffrey Vickers Memorial Award

Recognizes outstanding student papers that advance the systems sciences toward the vision of a "science of human ecology," particularly enriching the social sciences, humanities, and the arts.

Anatol Rapoport Memorial Award

Honors outstanding student work in the domains of the physical sciences, life sciences, mathematics, and engineering, focusing on mathematical modeling and quantitative approaches.

Margaret Mead Memorial Award

Recognizes student contributions that emphasize feminist, collectivist, and culturally pluralistic perspectives across the systems sciences.

Key Information regarding these Awards

• Prize Details: Each of the three memorial awards generally consists of a plaque and a $500 cash prize.
• Eligibility: Open to undergraduate and graduate students. Papers must be submitted within one year of receiving their degree, and preference is given to individually authored work.
• Requirements: A completed student conference registration fee must accompany the submission.
• Presentation: Winners are encouraged to present their papers in a plenary session, either in person or virtually.