William James Prize

The William James Prize for Contributions to the Study of Consciousness is an award given by the Association for the Scientific Study of Consciousness (ASSC).^[1]

Each year one prize is awarded for an outstanding published contribution to the empirical or philosophical study of consciousness by a graduate student or postdoctoral scholar within five years of receiving a PhD or other advanced degree.^[1]

The prize consists of:

1. An award of $1000(USD);
2. Invitation to present a plenary address at the next meeting of the ASSC;
3. Lifetime membership in the ASSC.

The table below names the most recent winners,^[2] recognizing an exceptional published work in the empirical or philosophical research of consciousness by a scholar early in their career.

Note: The prize recognizes work published within a specific timeframe (typically five years) of the scholar receiving their advanced degree. The date listed is the year the award was conferred.

The exact year of the first award is not explicitly stated in one place, historical documents indicate the prize was being regularly awarded by the early 2000s. The ASSC website mentions that the 2025 prize was the 22nd edition,^[3] which would imply the first award was in 2004.