ADEC Award Nominations - CLOSED
Each year, ADEC recognizes professionals in thanatology for their commitment to the field and advancing the study of dying, death, bereavement and non-death losses. ADEC distributes a number of awards to professionals at various stages of their careers and areas of contribution in the field during our annual conference each spring
. As an inclusion-focused, international professional organization that embraces diversity, equity and inclusion, ADEC welcomes nominations and applications from qualified members of all people groups, cultures, religions and beliefs, from
around the world for all Award categories.
- The awards are presented to deserving individuals each year at the Annual ADEC Conference.
- The Awards Committee may decide not to present an award in any given year if, in their discretion, there are no deserving candidates nominated.
- Current ADEC Board members are not eligible to receive awards while serving on the board.
- Individuals who have received an award within the past three years are not eligible to receive another award.
- Individuals may self-nominate for an award.
- Award recipients are not required to be present to receive the award but are strongly encouraged to attend the conference to receive their award in person.
- Awards Committee members cannot nominate individuals or themselves for an award during their terms.
View a list of Past ADEC Award Winners
2026 Application / Nomination Deadlines
Awards nomination opens: Monday, September 15, 2025
Awards nomination closes: Wednesday, October 15, 2025 5:00pm ET
The academic educator award honors an individual with expertise in the field of dying, death, bereavement, and non-death losses as demonstrated by their excellence in academic teaching in thanatology through the judgment of peers; department chair; dean and /or department staff; and student evaluations.
Candidate Criteria
- The individual’s academic achievement is based on the development of teaching materials; new courses; and curriculum.
- The individual’s scholarly ability is demonstrated by publication record and/or membership on editorial boards of scholarly journals in the field of dying, death, and bereavement.
- The individual demonstrates continued growth by keeping abreast of changes in the field of dying, death, and bereavement and/or being at the cutting edge of developing ideas in the field.
- The individual must be living.
- ADEC membership is preferred, but not required.
Nomination Requirements
Nominator is required to submit a completed online submission form collecting the following information:
- Nominator name and email address.
- Nominee name, telephone number and email address.
- Award for nomination.
- Reason for nominating individual.
In accepting the nomination, the nominee is required to submit a completed online submission form providing the following information:
- Nominee name, telephone number and email address
- CV or resume.
- 200-word or less narrative indicating why nominee is a strong candidate for this award.
- Two letters of recommendations from current students, former students or others who can speak to the nominee’s excellence in academic education.
- Professional Bio: the 200-word or less professional bio should include one’s credentials and a description of professional accomplishments (presentations, publications, and involvement in thanatology related organizations).
Click here to submit your nomination!
Community Educator Award
The community educator award honors an individual in a non-academic setting with expertise in the field of thanatology as demonstrated by excellence in community-focused teaching in thanatology through the judgment of peers, community organization representatives and public evaluation.
Candidate Criteria
- The individual has excellence performance in developing community-focused thanatological workshops, presentations, or teaching materials.
- The individual demonstrates continued growth by: keeping abreast of changes in the field of dying, death, bereavement, and non-death loss.
- The materials are at the cutting edge, or the ways of dissemination are being innovative.
- The individual must be living.
- ADEC membership is preferred, but not required.
Nomination Requirements
Nominator is required to submit a completed online submission form collecting the following information:
- Nominator name and email address.
- Nominee name, telephone number and email address.
- Award for nomination.
- Reason for nominating individual.
In accepting the nomination, the nominee is required to submit a completed online submission form providing the following information:
- Nominee name, telephone number and email address.
- CV or resume.
- 200-word or less narrative indicating why nominee is a strong candidate for this award.
- Professional Bio: the 200-word or less professional bio should include one’s credentials and a description of professional accomplishments (presentations, publications, and involvement in thanatology related organizations).
- Two letters of recommendations from peers who can speak to the nominee’s excellence in community education as it relates to the field of thanatology.
Click here to submit your nomination!
Clinical Practice Award
The clinical practice award honors an individual with expertise in clinical practice specific to thanatology
as demonstrated by: honors, awards, reputation in nominee’s area of specialization, judgment by peers, supervisors and/or administrators, clients.
Candidate Criteria
The individual provides contributions to the field of thanatology as demonstrated by: innovations in practice; dissemination of knowledge based on personal experience and/or research; leadership in organization focusing on clinical practice as it relates to dying, death and bereavement, and/or non-death loss.
- The individual demonstrates continuing growth by: keeping abreast of changes in the field of thanatology
and/or being at the cutting edge of developing ideas and/or modalities of intervention in clinical practice.
- The individual must be living.
- ADEC membership is preferred, but not required.
Nomination Requirements
Nominator is required to submit a completed online submission form collecting the following information:
- Nominator name and email address.
- Nominee name, telephone number and email address.
- Award for nomination.
- Reason for nominating individual.
In accepting the nomination, the nominee is required to submit a completed online submission form providing the following information:
- Nominee name, telephone number and email address.
- CV or resume.
- 200-word or less narrative indicating why nominee is a strong candidate for this award.
- Professional Bio: the 200-word or less professional bio should include one’s credentials and a description of professional accomplishments (presentations, publications, and involvement in thanatology related organizations).
- Bulleted description of recognized excellence in thanatology clinical practice with an emphasis on honors, awards, reputation in nominee’s area of specialization, judgement by peers, supervisors and/or administrators.
- Two letters of recommendation from peers who can speak to the nominee's excellence in clinical practice as it relates to the field of thanatology.
Click here to submit your nomination!
Research Recognition Award
The research recognition award honors an individual with expertise in the field of thanatology who is actively conducting or who has conducted research in the last 25 years that adds/contributes significantly to the ADEC Body of Knowledge in studies concerning death and loss.
Candidate Criteria
The individual demonstrates ongoing consistent record of research and publication in the area of death education and/or grief counseling.
- The individual’s research has been subject to peer review (accepted for publication in a refereed journal, reviewed by a grant funding agency, or accepted for presentation at a conference sponsored by a professional association in which proposals for presentation have been reviewed prior to acceptance).
- The individual’s findings have been cited by other researchers or authors.
- The individual’s findings have served as a foundation upon which prominent theories or practices have been constructed.
- The individual must be living.
- ADEC membership is preferred, but not required.
Nomination Requirements
Nominator is required to submit a completed online submission form collecting the following information:
- Nominator name and email address.
- Nominee name, telephone number and email address.
- Award for nomination.
- Reason for nominating individual.
In accepting the nomination, the nominee is required to submit a completed online submission form providing the following information:
- Nominee name, telephone number and email address.
- CV or resume.
- 200-word or less narrative indicating why nominee is a strong candidate for this award.
- Bulleted description of the research conducted and/or completed with an emphasis on scholarly publications, scholarly presentations, internal/external grants, or other scholarly work in the field of thanatology.
- Professional Bio: the 200-word or less professional bio should include one’s credentials and a description of professional accomplishments (presentations, publications, and involvement in thanatology related organizations).
- Two letters of recommendations from peers who can speak to the nominee’s excellence in thanatology research.
Click here to submit your nomination!
Scholarship Recognition Award
The scholarship recognition award honors an individual with expertise in the field of thanatology who has actively contributed to scholarship in the field for at least ten years by significantly advancing our knowledge and understanding of thanatology and/or its practical applications.
Candidate Criteria
The individual demonstrates ongoing consistent record of scholarship through publications in the field of death, dying, bereavement, and/or loss, dissemination of their work as demonstrated through professional presentations/trainings, and collaboration with other scholars, and/or mentorship of early career thanatologists.
- The individual’s published scholarship includes journal articles, books or book chapters (not self published), that has been subjected to peer review (e.g. accepted for publication in a refereed journal, reviewed by other thanatologists or related experts, etc.)
- The individual’s scholarship in thanatology has been disseminated via presentation at a conference sponsored by a professional association in which proposals for presentation have been reviewed prior to acceptance
- The individual has provided professional trainings in thanatology through professional organizations
- The individual has embodied the spirit of scholarship through collaborative projects, publications (e.g., co-authors), co-presentations, etc., and/or mentorship of early career thanatologists.
- The individual must be living.
- ADEC membership is preferred, but not required.
Nomination Requirements
Nominator is required to submit a completed online submission form collecting the following information:
- Nominator name and email address.
- Nominee name, telephone number and email address.
- Award for nomination.
- Reason for nominating individual.
In accepting the nomination, the nominee is required to submit a completed online submission form providing the following information:
- Nominee name, telephone number and email address.
- CV or resume.
- 200-word or less narrative indicating why nominee is a strong candidate for this award.
- Bulleted description of the individual's scholarship, including scholarly publications, scholarly presentations, internal/external grants, or other scholarly work in the field of thanatology.
- Professional Bio: the 200-word or less professional bio should include one’s credentials and a description of professional accomplishments (presentations, publications, and involvement in thanatology related organizations).
- Two letters of recommendations from peers who can speak to the nominee’s excellence in thanatology scholarship.
Click here to submit your nomination!
ADEC Service Award
The ADEC service award honors an individual with a demonstrated history of excellence in service to ADEC in consistent committee participation, leadership, and other high-quality efforts to benefit the growth and development of the Association of Death Education and Counseling.
Candidate Criteria
- The individual excels in service to ADEC as demonstrated by: consistent committee participation and other high-quality efforts to benefit the growth and development, and sustainability of the association.
- The individual provides contributions to the activities of the association as demonstrated by: innovating association programs, conducting workshops, assisting with conferences, serving the association.
- The individual must be living.
- The individual must be a current member of ADEC.
Nomination Requirements
Nominator is required to submit a completed online submission form collecting the following information:
- Nominator name and email address.
- Nominee name, telephone number and email address.
- Award for nomination.
- Reason for nominating individual.
In accepting the nomination, the nominee is required to submit a completed online submission form providing the following information:
- Nominee name, telephone number and email address.
- CV or resume.
- 200-word or less narrative indicating why nominee is a strong candidate for this award.
- Bulleted description of the research conducted and/or completed with an emphasis on consistent participation and efforts to benefit the growth and development of the association and contributions to the activities to the association.
- Professional Bio: the 200-word or less professional bio should include one’s credentials and a description of professional accomplishments (presentations, publications, and involvement in thanatology related organizations).
- Two letters of recommendations from peers who can speak to the nominee’s excellence in service to ADEC.
Click here to submit your nomination!
Lifetime Achievement Award
The lifetime achievement award is designated to honor an outstanding individual in the area of death, dying, grief, and loss who has had a national or international impact on the field and whose professional life has been dedicated to the development and improvement of death education, caring for the dying person, and grief counseling.
Candidate Criteria
The individual has made a significant contribution to the development and/or understanding of thanatology that historically has and will continue to distinguish their work.
- The individual has a minimum of 25 years of service in the field of thanatology.
- The individual has provided a significant contribution with a definable body of work through one or more of the following: theory development, presentations at professional conferences,
teaching/training, research, publications, professional practice.
- The individual may be living or deceased.
- ADEC membership is preferred, but not required.
Nomination Requirements
Nominator is required to submit a completed online submission form collecting the following information:
- Nominator name and email address.
- Nominee name, telephone number and email address.
- Award for nomination.
- Reason for nominating individual.
In accepting the nomination, the nominee is required to submit a completed online submission form providing the following information:
- Nominee name, telephone number and email address.
- CV or resume.
- 200-word or less narrative indicating why nominee is a strong candidate for this award.
- Three letters of recommendations from peers who can speak to the nominee’s excellence in service to ADEC and the field of thanatology.
- Professional Bio: the 200-word or less professional bio should include one’s credentials and a description of professional accomplishments (presentations, publications, and involvement in thanatology related organizations).
Click here to submit your nomination!
Edie Stark and Shirley Scott were both nurses from Florida who were formative in the beginning and early growth of ADEC. As friends and colleagues, these two pioneering thanatologists were passionate about good care for the dying and the bereaved. They were also dedicated to encouraging and supporting young professionals entering the field to work with individuals in bereavement and at the end-of-life.
When Shirley died, ADEC was gifted with a bequest from her estate channeled through ADEC’s planned giving program, the Living Legacy Circle. After Edie’s death, her family requested that gifts in her memory be given to ADEC. Along with additional gifts from some special ADEC friends, the Edie Stark-Shirley Scott Early Career Award became an endowed fund whose earnings each year can be used to help keep alive the vision of these two thanatology pioneers.
The Edie Stark-Shirley Scott Early Career Award will be presented annually to a woman in the initial years of a career in thanatology who has distinguished herself through activity in scholarship, service, research, clinical practice, or social action. The award is intended to sponsor the winner’s registration fee for ADEC’s annual conference and provide a limited reimbursement for some travel expenses.
Candidate Criteria
- Be an ADEC member in good standing in BOTH the current year of the application AND the previous year.
- Qualify as a woman who meets the criteria for New Professional status on the ADEC membership guidelines (less than three years since graduation).
- Be currently employed in a professional capacity in the field of thanatology.
- Makes a commitment to attend the entire upcoming ADEC conference.
- Has distinguished herself through professional activity in scholarship, service, research, clinical practice, or social action.
Nomination Requirements
Nominator is required to submit a completed online submission form collecting the following information:
- Nominator name and email address
- Nominee name and email address
- Award for nomination
- Reason for nominating individual
Should the nominee accept the nomination, the nominee is required to submit a completed online submission form collecting the following information:
- Nominee name and email address
- CV or resume
- 200-word narrative indicating why nominee is a strong candidate for this award
- 200-word professional bio
- Three letters of recommendations from peers who can speak to the nominee’s excellence in through professional activity in scholarship, service, research, clinical practice, or social action.
Click here to submit your nomination!
(Nominations for this award are only accepted through Conference Abstract Submission process)
Ronald Keith Barrett, PhD, FT, Psychologist, Professor, Scholar, Author, Lecturer, Chair of the Department of Psychology, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, California was an active and dedicated member of the Association for Death Education and Counseling (ADEC) and founder of the People of Color Forum. Dr. Barrett passed away on May 31, 2015, in Santa Monica, California. Through The Estate of Ronald Keith Barrett, PhD, a gift of $25,000.00 is given to the Association for Death Education and Counseling (ADEC). The purpose of the gift is to establish, at the ADEC Annual Conference, The Ronald Keith Barrett, PhD. Scholarship for Diversity and Multicultural Presentations. The mission is to support and increase opportunities for presenters of color and persons whose work and presentations on diversity and multicultural rituals, traditions and concerns brings awareness and sensitivity to end-of-life caregiving.
Candidate Criteria
- Submit an abstract during the annual ADEC Conference Abstract Submission process that demonstrates diversity and/or multicultural sensitivity to rituals, traditions, and concerns in the field of death, dying, education and counseling.
- Select to have an abstract submission for an ADEC concurrent session presentation considered for the Ronald Keith Barrett, PhD Scholarship for Diversity and Multicultural Presentations.
- Register for and attend the current ADEC Conference. The conference registration fee is provided from the Ronald Keith Barrett, PhD, Association for Death Education and Counseling (ADEC) Scholarship for Diversity and Multicultural Presentations Funds.
- The recipient will provide the ADEC Awards Chair a 200-word professional bio upon request
Nomination Requirements
The scholarship recipient(s) is/are chosen from abstracts submitted for concurrent sessions for an ADEC Conference with the ADEC Body of Knowledge Cultural/Socialization Indicator. Cultural/Socialization concerns the effect of diverse cultural and social influences on the experience of death and loss. Diversity refers to the traits and characteristics that make people unique while inclusion refers to the behaviors and social norms that ensure people feel welcome. (See additional information).
- The Diversity and Inclusion Committee chair will receive abstracts submitted for consideration of this award following the close of abstract submissions.
- The Diversity and Inclusion Committee blindly reviews and selects annually (1) an abstract submission for this award and (2) an alternate abstract submission.
- The Diversity and Inclusion Committee’s recommendations are sent to the chair of the ADEC Awards Committee.
- The Awards Committee chair notifies the recipient of the Ronald Keith Barrett, PhD Scholarship for Diversity and Multicultural Presentations.
Print Page