The Stuart L. Bernath Lecture Prize

The Stuart L. Bernath Lecture Prize recognizes and encourages excellence in teaching and research in the field of foreign relations by younger scholars. The prize of $1,000 is awarded annually.

Eligibility: The prize is open to any person under forty-one years of age or within ten years of the receipt of the PhD (measured at the time the awardee would deliver the lecture) whose scholarly achievements represent excellence in teaching and research. Nominations may be made by any member of SHAFR or of any other established history, political science, or journalism department or organization.

Procedures: Nominations, in the form of a letter and the nominee's c.v., should be sent to the Bernath Lecture Prize Committee members. The nominating letter should discuss evidence of the nominee's excellence in teaching and research. The award is announced in January. The winner of the prize will deliver a lecture during a luncheon at the next year's annual SHAFR conference. The lecture should be comparable in style and scope to a SHAFR presidential address and should address broad issues of concern to students of American foreign policy, not the lecturer's specific research interests. The lecturer is awarded $1,000 plus up to $500 in travel expenses to the SHAFR Conference, and their lecture is published in Diplomatic History.

To be considered for the 2025 award, nominations must be received by October 15, 2024.  All nomination materials, including letters of support, should be sent to the Bernath Lecture Prize selection committee c/o Paul Thomas Chamberlain at [email protected].

The Stuart L. Bernath Lecture Prize Recent Winners:

  • 2024 Elisabeth Leake
  • 2023 Megan Black
  • 2022 Oli Charbonneau
  • 2021 Emily Conroy-Krutz
  • 2020 Julia Irwin
  • 2019 Kelly Shannon
  • 2018 Jay Sexton
  • 2017 Daniel Sargent
  • 2016 Brooke Blower
  • 2015 Daniel Immerwahr
  • 2014 Lien-Hang T. Nguyen
  • 2013 Andrew Preston
  • 2012 Jeffrey Engel
  • 2011 Bradley R. Simpson
  • 2010 Barbara Keys
  • 2009 Elizabeth Borgwardt
  • 2008 Paul Kramer
  • 2007 Max Paul Friedman
  • 2006 David Engerman
  • 2005 Kristin Hoganson
  • 2004 Kurk Dorsey
  • 2003 Fredrik Logevall
  • 2002 Jussi Hanhimaki
  • 2001 Mary Ann Heiss
  • 2000 Thomas Zeiler
  • 1999 Odd Arne Westad
  • 1998 Robert Buzzanco
  • 1997 Peter Hahn
  • 1996 Elizabeth Cobbs
  • 1995 Douglas Brinkley
  • 1993 Thomas Schwartz
  • 1993 Diane Kunz
  • 1992 Larry Berman
  • 1991 H.W. Brands
  • 1990 Robert McMahon
  • 1989 Richard Immerman
  • 1988 Stephen G. Rabe