The Sidney Prize is an annual award that recognises a person or organisation that has contributed to social change and the improvement of human life. It is open to people of any nationality and can be awarded for a number of things, from academic achievement, personal attributes, community service, a requirement for start-up funding or the ability to inspire others.
The award is named after Sidney Hillman, a scientist and educator who was an advocate for social justice. He was an exemplary teacher and mentor who was passionate about making sure all his students had access to the highest quality of education in their chosen field of study.
He was also known for his commitment to the advancement of women and underprivileged children. He was a pioneer in the field of education for people with disabilities and served as chairman of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
Since 1950, the Sidney Hillman Foundation has honoured journalists who pursue investigative reporting and deep storytelling in service of the common good. The Hillman Prize is awarded in the U.S and Canada each year, and the Sidney Award is given out monthly by the foundation for work published in an American magazine, newspaper, on a news site or blog, a broadcast by an American television or radio new outlet or a published photography series.
SS Sidney Awards: Journalism
The SS Sidney Awards, or the Sidney Prizes, are awarded to “outstanding investigative journalism in service of the common good”. They are given out by the Sidney Hillman Foundation and are presented on the second Wednesday of each month. The Sidney Award is given out for work that was first published in the month prior to that. The deadline for nominations is the last day of that month.
Mercer University will present the 2022 Thomas Robinson Prize for Southern Literature to Nikky Finney, a poet and professor who has taught at Cave Canem and has been a founding member of the Affrilachian Poets, a group dedicated to supporting poets of color in Appalachia. She is the author of nine books including, most recently, This Side of the River: New and Selected Poems.
Sidney Altman: Sterling Professor of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology at Yale, shared the 1989 Nobel Prize with Tom Cech.” A leader in the field of RNA biology, Mr. Altman’s research was a major breakthrough that helped to create the cellular basis for eukaryotic cells.
He also made discoveries that led to the discovery of telomerase, which has been linked to Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. His work was a catalyst for many other scientists to discover the molecular mechanisms that underpin cellular aging and age-related disorders.
The Sidney Prize is a great opportunity for the University of Sydney to acknowledge and celebrate the accomplishments of its students, particularly those whose work has been impacted by extenuating circumstances throughout their studies. It is a great way to encourage student excellence and is a valuable contribution to the cultural life of the University of Sydney.