The Hassenzahl-Smith Mid Career Award honors individuals who are mid-career and have made significant contributions to environmental studies or environmental sciences for at least ten years. The collective impact of David Hassenzahl and Kim Smith—through scholarship, mentorship, and sustained commitment to ESS—has shaped AESS in lasting and meaningful ways. Through this award, AESS recognizes outstanding accomplishments and sustained excellence in research, policy, activism, or a combination of these areas. This award was launched in 2025. Nominees should have at least ten years of full-time employment. People from traditionally marginalized groups are encouraged to apply.
Award Recipients
used with permission from J. Park
2025 MID CAREER AWARD RECIPIENT
Jacob Park
Dr. Jacob Park is a Co-Executive Editor of Subsistence Marketplaces and the Associate Editor at the Journal of Social Entrepreneurship and at the Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences. He also serves as an Editorial Adviser: SDG 10 for Springer Sustainable Development Goals Book Series, Academic Editor for PLOS Climate, and serves on several editorial boards.
Upon learning of his award, Dr. Park shared, “I am grateful to AESS for this award and for recognizing something I have always believed in: the importance of cultivating an integrated interdisciplinary approach to teaching, research, and scholarly engagement.” The committee noted strong scholarship, commitment to interdisciplinarity, contributions to the work of critically important institutions such as the UNEP and IUCN, as well as work supporting the next generation of ESS scholars.
Learn more about Dr. Park’s publications and endeavors: https://www.castleton.edu/directory/faculty-staff-directory/details/jacob-park and https://www.uj.ac.za/members/prof-jacob-park
