Sid Pilgrim Award

The Sid Pilgrim Award

In 2015, Ray Lobdell proposed to the SSSNNE BOD that we establish an award recognizing a Soil or Wetland Scientist who has made outstanding contribution to their profession in New Hampshire, Vermont or Maine, in the name of Sidney A.L. Pilgrim. Sid Pilgrim was the original founder and first president of the Society of Soil Scientists of Northern New England established in 1975 at a meeting of professional soil scientists in the old Waumbek Hotel, Jefferson, NH. Sid had recently retired after 60 years in the soils profession, involving 32 years with the Soil Conservation Service (now NRCS) and teaching at UNH from 1979 until retirement in 2015. For those that knew Sid, he was regarded as an outstanding educator, mentor and friend, always open to discussion on the science of soils. He had an unusual talent for addressing questions and discussions from different perspectives allowing those of us that learned from him opportunities to understand concepts others may not be able to explain or express concisely. His love of soils and teaching was unmatched. Sid passed away on October 20, 2018, and we will never forget his contributions to the profession of Soil Science and teaching Soil Science.

Criteria

The Sid Pilgrim Award will be presented to a Soil or Wetland Scientist who has made outstanding contributions to their profession in New Hampshire, Vermont, or Maine. This award provides SSSNNE the opportunity to recognize outstanding individuals who through their work in natural resources exemplifies the principles and values so strongly put forward by Sid Pilgrim, Society of Soil Scientists of Northern New England founder, for whom this award is named.

This award will be presented at the SSSNNE’s Winter Meeting. The award will be presented at the discretion of the SSSNNE’s Board of Directors but at least once every 3 years. No individual can receive the award more than once every 10 years and no more than one award can be presented in any year.

A recipient of the award is selected by a majority vote of the BOD. Any BOD member can recommend a recipient. The BOD will also accept for consideration letters recommending the award to deserving individuals at any time.

Recipients of the award need to be a soil or wetland scientist practicing in New Hampshire, Vermont, or Maine. They may or may not be members of SSSNNE.