About Us

Ed Liebow, photo by Mark Finkenstaedt

COSSA's 2023 Distinguished Service Award was presented to Edward Liebow, Executive Director of the American Anthropological Association (AAA) and former Chair of COSSA’s Board of Directors. The award was officially presented in Washington, DC at the Celebration of Social Science Reception on April 24, 2023 as part of COSSA’s 2023 Social Science Advocacy Day activities. 

Liebow is a cultural anthropologist who has served as AAA’s Executive Director since 2013 following an accomplished career with the Battelle Seattle Research Center conducting research and policy analysis on a variety of issues affecting disadvantaged communities. He was elected Chair of COSSA’s Board of Directors in 2019 and served two full terms in the role, which included stewarding the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic. He also serves on the board of the National Humanities Alliance. In 2020, Liebow was selected as a AAAS Fellow for “distinguished contributions to the field of applied anthropology, and particularly for exemplary administration of professional societies and non-profit research and policy institutions.” Liebow is a longtime affiliate of the University of Washington and received a Ph.D. and M.A. from Arizona State University and B.A. from Carleton College. (Press release)

COSSA Executive Director Wendy Naus (left) with 2019 Distinguished Service Award Recipients Katharine Abraham (center) and Ron Haskins (right)

COSSA’s 2019 Distinguished Service Award was Drs. Katharine Abraham and Ron Haskins, whose leadership of the Commission on Evidence-Based Policymaking helped catalyze efforts across federal agencies to integrate science- and evidence-based decision-making into the everyday work of government. (Press release)

2018 Distinguished Award Recipient Rep. Dan Lipinski (center right) with members of the COSSA Board of Directors, representatives of COSSA governing associations, and members of Rep. Lipinski's staff.

The 2018 COSSA Distinguished Service Award was presented to Representative Daniel Lipinski (D-IL) and Dr. William Riley, Director of the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Representative Lipinski and Dr. Riley represent the type of leadership across the legislative and executive branches of government the social and behavioral sciences need to flourish and continue to produce the type of findings that have already improved the lives of countless Americans. Representative Lipinski is one of social science’s most stalwart champions in Congress and has long been a vocal advocate for the many benefits research in the social and behavioral sciences have generated. Dr. Riley’s leadership of OBSSR has helped ensure that the social and behavioral sciences are thriving at NIH and continue to generate vital insights into the ways that behavioral and social factors shape our health. (Press release)

2018 Distinguished Award Recipient William Riley and COSSA Executive Director Wendy Naus.

2017 Distinguished Award Recipients Sen. Gary Peters (center) and Sen. Cory Gardner (second from left) with COSSA Executive Director Wendy Naus (right); Christina Ko, University of Michigan (second from right); and Myron Gutmann, University of Colorado, Boulder Institute of Behavioral Science (left).

The 2017 COSSA Distinguished Service Award was presented to Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Gary Peters (D-MI) in recognition of their bipartisan work on the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act (AICA), legislation that reauthorizes activities at the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), STEM education programs, and seeks to reduce the administrative burden associated with federal grants. Senators Gardner and Peters worked to ensure an inclusive and bipartisan process when writing the AICA, engaging the scientific research community along the way. The AICA was one of the last bills signed into law by President Obama in January. (Press release)

2016 COSSA Distinguished Service Award Recipient Eddie Bernice Johnson and COSSA Executive Director Wendy Naus

The 2016 COSSA Distinguished Service Award was presented to Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) in recognition of her unwavering support for social and behavioral science research and steadfast leadership on behalf of the U.S. scientific enterprise.

2015 COSSA Distinguished Service Award Recipient Philip E. Rubin (center) with COSSA Board Chair Felice Levine (left) and COSSA Executive Director Wendy Naus (right)

The 2015 COSSA distinguished service Award was presented to Dr. Philip E. Rubin, outgoing Assistant Director for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) in recognition of his career of service to the social and behavioral science community.