This award is given by the LGBTQ Interest Group generally every two years for career achievement in education and research affecting the LGBTQ community. The recipient is not required to be an AEJMC member or be LGBTQ.
The Past Recipients:
Edward Alwood (Quinnipiac U.)
Fred Fejes (Florida Atlantic U.)
Loren Ghiglione (Northwestern U.)
Larry Gross (U. of Southern California)
Lisa Henderson (U. of Massachusetts-Amherst)
Rodger Streitmatter (American U.)
Gust Yep (San Francisco State U.)
Kylo-Patrick R. Hart (Texas Christian U.)
The Latest Honoree (2022):
Drushel named Leroy F. Aarons Award recipient
Dr. Bruce E. Drushel from Miami University is the recipient of the Leroy F. Aarons Award this year. Given by the LGBTQ Interest Group, the Leroy F. Aarons Award recognizes one individual for their career achievement in education and research affecting the LGBTQ community. Drushel will be honored at the 2022 AEJMC conference in Detroit, Michigan in August during the LGBTQ Top Papers and Awards session.
Drushel (Ph.D., Ohio University) is a full professor of media and culture as well as the chair of the Department of Media, Journalism & Film at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. He has developed and taught courses in mediated sexualities and gender, LGBTQ people & the press, queer representation in electronic media and film, media history, media law & policy, and media economics. Moreover, he serves as the vice-president for programming and the chair for the LGBTQ+ Studies area at the Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association.
Drushel has made great contributions to advancing the field of LGBTQ studies and mass communication. He was the co-founding editor (with Kylo-Patrick Hart) of Queer Studies in Media & Popular Culture, a peer-reviewed academic journal. Also, he has edited 5 anthologies and 4 special issues of peer-reviewed journals. As a prolific scholar, Drushel has published 22 major journal articles, 9 other journal articles, 4 reviews, 29 chapters in books, and 75 conference papers. Most recently, he published his edited book, “LGBTQ Culture: The Changing Landscape,” in 2021 through Routledge.
Given by the LGBTQ Interest Group every two years, the prestigious Leroy F. Aarons Award recognizes career commitment to the advancement of education and research affecting the LGBTQ community and beyond. Nominated by the members of the LGBTQ Interest Group, the recipient is not required to be an AEJMC or LGBTQ member. Many trailblazers in the field are the past recipients of this award, including Edward Alwood (Quinnipiac U.), Fred Fejes (Florida Atlantic U.), Larry Gross (U. of Southern California), Loren Ghiglione (Northwestern U.), Kylo-Patrick R. Hart (Texas Christian U.), Lisa Henderson (U. of Massachusetts-Amherst), Rodger Streitmatter (American U.), and Gust Yep (San Francisco State U.).
Drushel will accept the Leroy F. Aarons Award during the LGBTQ Top Papers and Awards session on Thursday, August 4 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. (see the conference program for the exact location). Drushel will give a speech and interact with members and attendees during the social portion of the session.
Research Awards
The LGBTQ Interest Group is pleased to provide monetary awards and recognition for top student and faculty papers:
- Top Student Paper Award The LGBTQ Interest Group encourages graduate student submissions in its Top Student Paper competition. To be considered for the competition, papers must be wholly the work of students. The author(s) of the top student paper award will receive $100 and a certificate in recognition of their work.
- Top Faculty Paper Award The top faculty paper submitted to the LGBTQ Interest Group will also receive an award. Papers written solely by faculty, or papers co-authored by faculty members and students, are eligible. The author(s) of the top faculty paper award will receive $100 and a certificate in recognition of their work