The William Brewster Memorial Award goes to the author or coauthors of an exceptional body of work on birds of the Western Hemisphere. The award was established in 1921 and is in honor of William Brewster, one of the founding members of the American Ornithologists' Union. Previous recipients present at this year's meeting of the American Ornithological Society (AOS) include Geoff Hill, Steve Beissinger, Joanna Burger, Spencer Sealy, and John Fitzpatrick. This year the award, which consists of a medal and honorarium, is given to Dr. Bette A. Loiselle.

Bette is a professor in the Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation at the University of Florida, where she also serves as director of the Tropical Conservation and Development Program. Her published work on ecology and conservation of birds includes over 110 peer-reviewed scientific papers and is well regarded for its rigor and creativity. Her interests are broad, including the use of GIS methods in species distribution mapping, the ecological role of animals as seed dispersers, mating systems and life histories of tropical birds, and the potential effects of global change on the distribution of birds and their plant foods in tropical systems of the Western Hemisphere. Bette also has an extensive record of successful mentorship for graduate students and postdocs from Latin America, including many women scientists.

(left) Bette Loiselle. (right) AOS President Steve Beissinger the award to Bette at the 2018 AOS annual meeting in Tucson, Arizona.

In recognition of a meritorious body of research on birds over a long and distinguished career, the AOS is pleased to award Bette Loiselle the 2018 Brewster Award.