The Sidney Prize is an award presented annually to a top undergraduate majoring in Politics and History. Established to honour Honourable Sidney Smith – who served on Alberta’s Legislative Assembly from 1854-1861 before serving as Postmaster General for United Province of Canada from 1858-1862 – this prize honors him by honouring him by awarding it to the student with highest average in their second year degree program, as determined by faculty committee – it was first of its kind ever presented in Western Canada!
The Society for the History of Technology is delighted to announce Stephan Miescher as the recipient of its 2023 Sidney M. Edelstein Book Prize award, honoring their book A Dam for Africa: The Engineering and Social History of a River Valley published by Indiana University Press during that year. This prize recognizes North American scholars’ outstanding contribution in history of technology publishing during that calendar year.
Dr. Sidney Louis Wagman ’51’s parents created this prize to commemorate his legacy by honoring outstanding humanistic study students who demonstrate dedication to high ideals. The winner receives a cash award of $500 as well as the chance to present their work at Triennial Council Meeting of The Society.
Each year, the Overland Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize welcomes writers from around the globe whose writing creatively explores travel themes. Judges Andre Dao and Jennifer Down selected ten shortlisted stories out of hundreds submitted; Rachel Ang’s story ‘Thalassophobia’ won first prize and will be published alongside two runners-up pieces in Overland magazine in its next issue with support from Malcolm Robertson Foundation.
Recently, many Sidney Awards have been given out for outstanding magazine essays that explore the intersection between science and humanities. Michael Lewis wrote in Portfolio earlier this fall about Meredith Whitney and Steve Eisman – two financial analysts who recognized early that U.S. financial system had become doomsday machines – two individuals with rare ability to see reality when others were blinded by denial. Lewis asserted these men had an uncommon ability to see reality when others could only deny what had become clear to them.
Since 1985, the Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee has designated Notable Books (formerly referred to as The Best of the Bunch) – books which did not win an award but which still merit special mention by committee. Each year a list of Notable Books is released alongside prize winner announcements; an anthology covering Notable Books from 1985 through 1999 can also be purchased; this contains all books designated Notable over this decade.