Award Winners

Lars Lyberg

The award is given for outstanding contribution to the field of public opinion research including: advances in theory, empirical research and methods; improvements in ethical standards; and promotion of understanding among the public, media and/or policy makers.

Lawrence Bobo, Harvard University;
Mia Tuan, University of Washington
"Prejudice in Politics: Group Position, Public Opinion, and the Wisconsin Treaty Rights Dispute"

The AAPOR Book Award seeks to recognize influential books that have stimulated theoretical and scientific research in public opinion; and/or influenced our understanding or application of survey research methodology. Eligibility for the AAPOR Book Award includes any book in the field that is at least three years old (to allow time for books to be read and reviewed), including any books published before or during the period covered by the list of the Fifty Books that Have Significantly Shaped Public Opinion Research 1946-1995.(The books on the "Fifty Books" list have already been recognized by AAPOR and are not eligible for the annual book award.)

The National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well Being Project

The AAPOR Policy Impact Award was developed to acknowledge that a key purpose of opinion and other survey research is to facilitate better informed decisions. The award recognizes outstanding research that has had a clear impact on improving policy decisions, practice and discourse, either in the public or private sectors.

The AAPOR Student Travel Award was established to fund students to attend the AAPOR Annual Conference. The Student Travel Awards are offered to students who are in need of financial support so that they may attend the annual conference and experience this important educational and collegial event for survey methodology and public opinion researchers.

Anthony Leiserowitz, Yale University; and the teammembers of the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication at Yale University, for a new statistical method to downscale national public opinion estimates using multiple regression and post stratification (MPR) survey data collection methodology. Survey data collected in the future can be put into the model to generate undated estimates that account for changes in opinion over time. The New York Times has printed congressional level maps using the Yale Program’s findings to explain the difference in opinions and beliefs on climate changes to its readers. When it comes to the use of computer generated illustrations in news reporting, the innovations of the Yale Program will provide the important, detailed data required to truly understand public belief and attitudes.
 
Beginning in 2007, these researchers developed and then tested a web-push data collection methodology that uses postal mail contacts to request a web response while withholding alternative response modes until later in the data collection process. Their methodology is now being used by the U.S. Census Bureau and in many countries to conduct major surveys relevant to public policy decisions.. 

The Warren J. Mitofsky Innovators Award recognizes accomplishments in the fields of public opinion and survey research that occurred in the past ten years or that had their primary impact on the field during the past decade. The innovations could consist of new theories, ideas, applications, methodologies or technologies. To be considered for the award, innovations must be publicly documented. The award can be given to individuals, groups or institutions.

The Burns "Bud" Roper Fellow Award is named for the late Burns "Bud" Roper who provided a substantial bequest in his will to endow the Roper Award fund. Roper Fellows are people whose primary work responsibilities are related to survey research or public opinion and who have recently started their careers. They receive financial assistance to help them attend the annual conference and/or participate in conference short courses; most are first-time conference attendees.

Mengyao Hu, University of Michigan
“Improving the Anchoring Vignette Methodology with Visual Vignettes!”

The Seymour Sudman Student Paper Competition Award is in memory of Seymour Sudman; it recognizes his many important contributions to AAPOR as well as his teaching and mentoring students in the survey research profession.

Winner Announced at AAPOR Conference

The Student Poster Competition honors the best student poster presented at the AAPOR annual conference. To be eligible for the award, students must have their poster abstracts accepted for presentation at the conference. The award committee will consider all posters that relate to the study of public opinion, whether they focus on theory, substantative findings, research methods, and/or statistical techniques used in such research.

This award is given in memory of Dr. Harkness, distinguished cross-cultural survey methodologist, who passed away in 2012.