Ronald Knapp leans against a post of a covered wooden bridge with trees and buildings in the background.

Ronald G. Knapp at Wanan Bridge, Fujian, 2006

Purpose of the Award

The Ronald G. Knapp Award for Distinguished Service to Asian Studies in New York State is conferred by the Executive Board of the New York Conference on Asian Studies. Nominees for the award must have achieved a reputation for excellent teaching and research about Asia and for outstanding service in support of Asian Studies teaching and research in the state of New York. Consideration will be given for a sustained level of commitment for a minimum of five (5) years.

Dr. Knapp is an emeritus SUNY Distinguished Professor at The State University of New York College at New Paltz. As Executive Secretary of NYCAS from 1999 to 2013, he helped build NYCAS into one of the strongest of the regional associations affiliated with the Association for Asian Studies.

Nature of the Award

The Ronald G. Knapp Award for Distinguished Service to Asian Studies in New York State will consist of a plaque and other recognition deemed appropriate by the NYCAS Executive Board. If the Executive Board votes to make an award, the award shall be presented by the NYCAS President during the annual NYCAS meeting. Unless the Executive Board votes to make an exception, the award recipient must be present at the annual meeting to receive the award.

Eligibility

A candidate for the Ronald G. Knapp Award for Distinguished Service to Asian Studies in New York State must have made significant contributions to Asian Studies in New York State for a minimum of five (5) years. Contributions may include, but are not limited to, such activities as the development of teaching materials, museum exhibitions, or research guides to help New York teachers and researchers interested in Asia; projects to better incorporate Asian Studies into school and university curricula; and service to organizations devoted to strengthening knowledge of Asia in the state of New York.

Nomination and Selection Process

Nominations may be made by any member of the New York Conference on Asian Studies.

Nominations will be considered and recipients chosen by the NYCAS Executive Board.

After a nominee has been approved by the Executive Board, the NYCAS President will contact the recipient and ask if he/she is willing to accept the award at an upcoming NYCAS annual meeting.

Supporting Materials

A dossier addressing how the candidate meets the award criteria and two letters of support from people familiar with the candidate’s record of service to Asian Studies in the state of New York.

Deadline

Nominations may be made to the NYCAS President at any time.

List of Recipients

2022
Patricia M. Welch

Professor of Comparative Literature and Languages at Hofstra University

NYCAS president (2005–2021)

2017
John William Chaffee

Distinguished Service Professor of History and Asian and Asian American Studies and Director of the Institute for Asia and Asian Diasporas, Binghamton University

2015
Roberta H. Martin

Senior Research Scholar, Weatherhead Institute for East Asian Studies, Columbia University

Director, Asia for Educators

Director, Columbia University National Coordinating Site of the National Consortium for Teaching about Asia

2013
Ronald G. Knapp

SUNY Distinguished Professor Emeritus, State University of New York at New Paltz