Every other year AER recognizes and celebrates its outstanding members and chapters. The 2024 Awards Committee seeks nominations for this year’s awards that embody the spirit and achievements of the following giants in the field of blindness and visual impairment.

Take advantage of this opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate an outstanding colleague or chapter. Click on the name of the Award to submit your nomination.

Alfred Allen Award
The Alfred Allen Award was established by AAWB, one of AER’s two predecessor organizations, to honor professionals who have spent their careers in direct service to individuals with visual impairments.

Mary K. Bauman Award
The Mary K. Bauman Award was established in 1982 in order to honor an individual who has made significant and outstanding contributions to the education of children and youth who are blind or visually impaired.

C. Warren Bledsoe Award
The Warren Bledsoe Award is given in recognition of a particularly noteworthy piece of literature in the field of blindness.

Douglas MacFarland Award
The Douglas C. MacFarland Award was established to honor an individual who has provided leadership in the field of blindness and visual impairment and who made innovative, significant or outstanding contributions to the education or rehabilitation of people who are visually impaired through either direct service, professional organizations, research, literature and/or preparation of professionals and is retired from the field. These contributions should have had an impact on a national or international level.

John H. McAulay Award
The John H. McAulay Award was established to honor professionals who have contributed outstanding efforts and achievements leading to the placement of people with visual impairments in productive employment.

Ambrose Shotwell Memorial Award
The Ambrose M. Shotwell Memorial Award was established to honor an individual who has made significant outstanding contributions to the personal adjustment or rehabilitation of adults who are blind or visually impaired. These leadership contributions have had an impact on a national or international level through their direct effect on people with visual impairments through the insight or inspiration that they provided to rehabilitation personnel in other states or nations.

Richard L. Welsh Chapter Leadership Award
The Richard L. Welsh Chapter Leadership Award was established to recognize professionals who have contributed outstanding efforts in AER chapter leadership. Nominees will demonstrate activity and achievement, either past or current, in the role of AER President-Elect, President, Past-President, Secretary, or Treasurer at the chapter level.

Outstanding Chapter Award
The AER Outstanding Chapter Award recognizes a chapter whose membership efforts have been outstanding. Criteria can include: increase in the number of members; number and quality of services and/or programs offered by the chapter; and legislative activity significantly affecting the lives of individuals who are blind or visually impaired.