At a time of diminished attention spans and diminishing essay lengths, the Sidney Prize stands as a reminder that work that exhibits sustained thought and stunning imagery deserves special recognition. It rewards work that stands the test of time.
This year’s winning essay comes from a Dartmouth senior physics major who conducted extensive research on an uncomfortable subject: the use of drones to spy on civilians. Their essay raises concerns over its effect on civil liberties; specifically regarding its potential to create an oppressive surveillance state used by governments against citizens and their families.
Emily Yin, a librarian at the University of Arizona, finds books to be the ideal medium for teaching history to her students. Her belief is that stories help engage readers in learning processes more effectively; her book The History of Technology in a Page offers such a narrative experience while showing how technological innovation has transformed human culture over time.
The Sidney Thomas Prize honors a Phi Beta Kappa member who achieved national distinction for scholarship, undergraduate teaching and leadership in liberal arts education; it recognizes an exceptional undergraduate student paper on art history each year. Essays must demonstrate original research and presentation as well as unique coverage of topics not previously addressed while showing exceptional writing and communication ability.
Patrick Lenton, Alice Bishop and Sara Saleh have selected this year’s winners and runners-up of the 2023 Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize. Annie Zhang’s “Who Rattles the Night?” won top honours among three pieces judged this year; Madeleine Rebbechi for “A Map of Underneath”, while Sheila Ngoc Pham wrote “Whack-a-Mole”. All winning and runner-up stories will be published in Overland magazine’s autumn issue
Follow a Chinese Jewish family as they celebrate two new years: Rosh Hashanah in autumn and Lunar New Year early spring. Intricate illustrations evoke paper cutting traditions associated with both holidays.
The Society for the History of Technology presents numerous prizes each year; for a full list of previous recipients please see its website. These awards are administered by the Hillman Foundation which also hosts monthly Sidney Awards for Investigative Journalism in Service of the Common Good as well as various fellowship opportunities. Starting in 2025, all U.S Hillman Prize entries will automatically be considered for consideration for an SEIU Award for Reporting Racial and Economic Justice as part of this foundational initiative.