Dr. Walter W. Ristow Prize
Scholarship Sponsored by Washington Map Society
Introduction
Since 1994 the Washington Map Society has awarded the Ristow Prize to honor scholarly achievement in the history of cartography and to commemorate the late Dr. Walter W. Ristow — former chief of the Geography & Map Division at the Library of Congress and a co‑founder and first president of the Washington Map Society.
The award
- $1,500 cash prize
- Three‑year membership in the Washington Map Society
- Publication of the winning paper in The Portolan (the Washington Map Society’s journal)
At the judges’ discretion, one or more additional papers may receive Honorable Mention.
Who is eligible
Applicants may be full‑ or part‑time undergraduate or graduate students, as well as individuals in their first year of doctoral study, enrolled at accredited colleges or universities in the United States or abroad. The prize is intended to encourage researchers who are beginning work in the field.
Submission requirements
- Topic: Research papers on the history of maps/cartography, either produced to satisfy coursework or based on original research.
- Language and length: Manuscripts must be submitted in English and may not exceed 7,500 words.
- Documentation: Authors may use any documentation/citation style of their choosing.
- Graphics: Inclusion of maps or other illustrative figures that support the text is encouraged.
- Prior presentation/publication: Papers that have been presented at conferences or entered in other competitions are acceptable, but entries must not have been previously published or be under consideration for publication at the time of submission.