Lee Scholar Support Fund

The Lee Scholar Support Fund Committee announces funds available for Foreign Scholars to participate in the 2012 Annual Meeting, August 16-18, Denver, CO.  

The Society for the Study Social Problems established the Lee Scholar Support Fund to help bring foreign scholars to the Annual Meeting. The specific purpose is to facilitate scholarly participation by persons engaged in research related to labor, gender, race-ethnicity, less advantaged countries, and other struggles. More generally, the purpose of this fund is to foster cooperative relations among persons and organizations engaged in applying sociological findings to confront social problems and create social change. Consistent with past practice, preference will be given to applicants from economically disadvantaged countries who without these funds could not attend the Annual Meeting. 

An online application must be submitted no later than March 15, 2012 and will be automatically sent to: 

Nadia Shapkina, Chair
Lee Scholar Support Fund Committee
Kansas State University
Work: (785) 532-2790; E-mail:

Other Committee Members:
Jon Shefner, Chair-Elect, University of Tennessee
Hephzibah Stymic-Pawl, University of Virginia

Lee Student Support Fund

The Lee Student Support Fund Committee announces funds available for Undergraduate and Graduate Students to participate in the 2012 Annual Meeting, August 16-18, Denver, CO.

In recognition of Al Lee’s commitment to social justice and his history of critical contributions to the Society for the Study of Social Problems, SSSP established the Lee Student Support Fund. The fund provides up to $500 in travel support (transportation costs only) for undergraduate and graduate student conference participants. Awards are allocated by the committee. In addition to need, the committee may recognize among other factors, the Society’s commitment to diversity, as well as consider the applicant’s commitment to scholar-activism, and interdisciplinary work. Only complete online applications will be reviewed, and there is only one award per applicant.

An online application must be submitted no later than March 15, 2012 and will be automatically sent to:

Jennifer K. Wesely, Chair
Lee Student Support Fund
University of North Florida
Work: (904) 620-1685; E-mail:

Other Committee Members:
Jane C. Hood, Chair-Elect, University of New Mexico
Ruth K. Thompson-Miller, Texas A&M University

Erwin O. Smigel Award

The Erwin O. Smigel Award Committee announces funds available for Unemployed and Underemployed Sociologists to participate in the 2012 Annual Meeting, August 16-18, Denver, CO.

The Erwin O. Smigel Award was established in 1975 to provide assistance to unemployed and underemployed sociologists. Applicants should be sociologists with an advanced degree who are not full-time students and who are not fully employed. Erwin O. Smigel was a professor and Chair of Sociology at New York University, and the author of The Wall Street Lawyer as well as other works. He was the second editor of Social Problems; serving from 1958-61. He was also a friendly and good humored man who supported colleagues exceptionally well. The fund was established in Erwin’s honor the year he passed away.

Erwin O. Smigel Award Guidelines:

1) the Smigel Fund monies are to be used to help pay for three or four unemployed or severely underemployed sociologists’ transportation to and registration fees for the SSSP meeting;

2) applicants must be SSSP members who are presenting a paper at the main SSSP meeting (rather than at an adjacent workshop or meeting) or participating as a SSSP elected or appointed officer or committee member;

3) a maximum of $500 dollars is to be granted to any one recipient.

An online application must be submitted no later than March 15, 2012 and will be automatically sent to:

Michelle Budig, Chair
Erwin O. Smigel Award Committee
University of Massachusetts
Work: (413) 545-5972; E-mail:

Other Committee Members:
John C. Alessio, Chair-Elect, Minnesota State University
Melanie B. Carlson, The College of Mt. St. Joseph