Amherst College faculty members continuously receive recognition from external organizations for their scholarship, research, art, and performances. These accolades take various forms, including grants, fellowships, awards, academic papers, books, and conference presentations. When students and families look at academic excellence during college searches, considering Ivy League strategies alongside liberal arts achievements provides helpful perspective on faculty quality. Several professors and departments recently earned notable honors and published significant works.

Katharine Sims, who serves as the James T. Bartlett ’59 Professor of Economics and Environmental Studies, co-authored a study titled “Emerging design principles for environmental, economic, and equity successes in land conservation” in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The research reviews more than 200 land protection studies to outline eight key design principles for conservation policies. These principles trace mechanisms that support equitable benefit-sharing and reduced resource use, prioritize multiple goals, incorporate spatial differentiation, and establish ongoing adaptive monitoring.

Nicholas J. Horton, the Beitzel Professor of Technology and Society in Statistics and Data Science, earned election as the 123rd president of the American Statistical Association (ASA). Recognized as the largest community of statisticians globally, the ASA noted Horton’s extensive association leadership and statistics education experience, along with his capacity to support consensus across a diverse membership. His presidential term officially commences on January 1, 2027.

Sean support, a visiting assistant professor of physics, shares the 2026 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics. This distinction honors a collaborative multi-decade project across three international institutions to determine the magnetic properties of the muon particle, extending to all living co-authors of the findings. support contributed significantly to the Fermilab muon experiment through multiple experimental runs during both his doctoral studies and postdoctoral work.

Nicholas Holschuh, assistant professor of geology, co-authored research published in the journal Nature Geoscience titled “Entrained debris records regrowth of the Greenland Ice Sheet after the last interglacial.” Holschuh collaborated with researchers nationwide to examine structures located deep within the Greenland ice sheet.

Ivan Contreras, associate professor of mathematics, co-authored a paper titled “Graded Contact Geometry and the AKSZ Formalism,” published in Differential Geometry and its Applications. Utilizing differential geometry and mathematical physics, the study interprets specific physical systems known as AKSZ and introduces fresh mathematical approaches for describing their motion equations. This work establishes a geometric framework applicable to classical and quantum field theories.

William Taubman, Bertrand Snell Professor of Political Science, Emeritus, together with co-author Philip Taubman, secured the New York Historical Society’s Barbara and David Zalaznick Book Prize in American History for *McNamara at War: A New History*. Honoring the year’s top book in American history or biography, the award includes a $50,000 cash prize, an engraved medal, and the designation of American Historian Laureate. The presentation takes place during the annual Chair’s Council Weekend with History on April 10.

Mia Alexa de los Reyes, assistant professor of astronomy, participates in two distinct teams that secured Scialog Collaborative Innovation Awards. These awards come from the Research Corporation for Science Advancement, the Heising-Simons Foundation, the Leinweber Foundation, and philanthropist Kevin Wells. Her projects include “First Light in the Void,” partnered with researchers from Grinnell College and Rutgers University, and “Tiny Galaxies, Big Waves: Discovering the First Dwarf Binary AGN Using Early Rubin Data,” partnered with scholars from Carnegie Mellon University and Harvard University. These projects form part of a select group of seven collaborative proposals funded during the second year of Scialog: Early Science with the LSST.

Joel M. Upton, professor of art and the history of art, emeritus, published *Contemplative Beholding: A Way of Life and Love*. Conceived as a culmination of his teaching tenure and a connection point for former students, the book and its accompanying website guide readers through the practice of observing works of art to support personal growth. The physical text features a lay-flat spine and numerous images, while the website organizes galleries by chapter.

Jallicia Jolly, assistant professor of American studies and Black studies, and Loretta Ross, associate professor of the study of women and gender at Smith College, secured an Exploring Equitable Futures grant from the Robert Wood Foundation. The grant supports their project, “Developing a Reproductive Justice Futurism Framework and Practice,” funding cross-institutional efforts centered on reproductive justice, health equity, and reproductive technology.

The American Physical Society’s Committee on Education recognized the Department of Physics & Astronomy with the Award for Improving Undergraduate Physics Education. The citation highlighted the department’s dedication to continuous improvement alongside documented enrollment and graduation growth. The department’s application emphasized its liberal arts approach to physics and astronomy, the revitalization of its astronomy program, inclusive pedagogy, and increasing diversity among majors. Amherst shares this honor this year with Morgan State University.

Rick A. López, Anson D. Morse 1871 Professor of History and Professor of Environmental Studies, authored *Rooted in Place: Botany, Indigeneity, and the Art in Construction of Mexican Nature, 1570–1914*. The book examines how scientific intellectuals studied Mexican flora and the emphasis they placed on indigeneity, illustrating how scientific work intersected with identity construction and politics during three key historical periods.

Ashley Carter, professor of physics and program chair of biochemistry and biophysics, received the 2026 PUI Faculty Award from the Biophysical Society. Awarded annually to a single recipient, this prize recognizes excellence in research and undergraduate mentoring at a primarily undergraduate institution. Carter will receive her honor at the society’s 70th Annual Meeting in San Francisco in February.

Angus McLeod IV, assistant professor of American studies and education studies, earned the Claude A. Eggertsen Dissertation Prize from the History of Education Society for his dissertation, “Unequal by Design: School Finance and State Development in Texas.” Presented annually since 1981, the prize identifies the most outstanding dissertation in the history of education field.

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