NOMINATIONS are solicited for the Robert H. Gibbs Jr. Memorial Award for Excellence in Systematic Ichthyology from the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists (ASIH). The prize is awarded for "an outstanding body of published work in systematic ichthyology" to a citizen of a Western Hemisphere nation who has not been a recipient of the award. The award is offered annually and consists of a plaque and a cash award (approximately $5000). The award will be presented during the plenary session in Portland in 2009 during  the annual meeting of ASIH. Nominations may be made by any ichthyologist, including self-nominations, and should include the nominee's curriculum vitae, details of the nominee's specific contributions, and their impacts on systematic ichthyology. Nominations should be submitted by 1 March 2009 for the nominee to be eligible for that year's award. Nominations will be effective for three years.

Nominations for 2009 should be sent to: Richard Winterbottom, Chair of the 2009 Gibbs Committee, Royal Ontario Museum, Dept of Natural History, 100 Queen's Park, Toronto, ON M5S 2C6,   rickw@rom.on.ca or to Secretary Maureen A. Donnelly, Florida International University, Arts & Sciences, 11200 SW 8th St., Miami, FL 33199 or emailed: asih@fiu.edu.  Electronic submission are preferred.

In July 2008 at the annual meeting of the ASIH in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, the award for 2008 was presented to Dr. Richard Vari.