The Chesapeake Community Modeling Program (CCMP) is soliciting nominations for the 2026 Guardian Award. Individuals nominated should have made significant and selfless contributions to the research, management and policy maker communities in Chesapeake Bay and/or its watershed. The nominee should have demonstrated sustained contributions. A worthy recipient might also be someone who has influenced Chesapeake research and/or management via teaching and training. Efforts in support of community and open source databases and models are also valued.
Please submit nominations for the 2026 Chesapeake Guardian Award to Raleigh Hood (rhood@umces.edu) by December 15, 2025. The nomination should include a brief nominating letter (no longer than one page) that summarizes the nominee’s contributions.
A subcommittee of the CCMP will evaluate the nominations and select the award recipient. The awardee will be identified by the 1st of March, 2026.
History
The “Chesapeake Guardian Award” was first presented to Kevin Sellner at the 2014 Chesapeake Modeling Symposium for “Exceptional Service Dedicated to the Advancement of Community Modeling in the Chesapeake Bay Region”. The CCMP has established this award in Sellner’s honor in appreciation for his more than 30 years of research, guidance and service to the Chesapeake Bay research, management and policy maker communities. Subsequent awards have been given to Gary Shenk, Carl Cerco, Marjorie Friedrichs, Karl Blankenship, Denice Wardrop and Kurt Stephenson.
This is a standing award presented every 2 years. The eighth awardee will be recognized at the Chesapeake Community Research Symposium in June, 2026.
