Ireland Award for Scholarly Distinction

Charles W. Ireland and his wife Caroline P. Ireland established the Caroline P. and Charles W. Ireland Endowment for Scholarly Distinction, which today funds two annual Ireland prizes. The Ireland Distinguished Visiting Scholar Award, which is given to a distinguished intellectual outside of the UAB academic community and the Ireland Prize for Scholarly Distinction, which is awarded to a College of Arts and Sciences faculty member.

The Ireland Prize for Scholarly Distinction is historically presented at a reception to be held in the Fall semester, at which the recipient gives a public lecture on their research and scholarship. Candidates for this award must be a full-time, regular College of Arts and Sciences faculty member who has

1. demonstrated notable achievements in their field of the arts and sciences,
2. gained national and/or international recognition of peers, and
3. demonstrated talents that contribute to the elevation of the arts and sciences at UAB and in the Birmingham community.

Nominations for this award are solicited each year with a faculty committee choosing the winner. A letter of nomination and a current vitae of the nominee should be included. The prize carries a cash award. The funds for this award are provided by an endowment established by Caroline P. Ireland and the late Charles W. Ireland for the purpose of recognizing, rewarding, and encouraging scholarly distinction in the arts and science.

Please forward your nominations or requests for additional information to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. in the College of Arts and Sciences’ Dean’s Office, Heritage Hall 560. The deadline for nominations for the 2026 Ireland Prize for Scholarly Distinction is Tuesday, September 1, 2026.

Past Ireland Award Recipients