The sidney prize is an award for investigative journalism in service of the common good. Since its inception in 1950, the Hillman Foundation has awarded tens of thousands of dollars to writers and journalists across the country. The Hillman Foundation has also been a leader in the fight for civil rights and social justice, and continues its commitment to illuminate the great issues of our time—from the search for lasting peace and security, to the struggle for equal access to health care and quality education, to the battle against discrimination on the basis of race, gender, nationality, religion or sexual orientation.
The Hillman Foundation also awards a monthly Sidney Prize for reporting that sheds light on the great issues of our times. This monthly award seeks to reward outstanding investigative journalism that exposes social and economic injustices. This report may be written in any medium — daily, periodical, or online — and can be an individual piece or a series. The winning story or series is based on original research and reporting. It is a tribute to the journalist’s courage and integrity in the face of powerful forces that work against the public interest.
In 2025, the foundation will continue its SEIU Award for Reporting on Racial and Economic Justice in addition to the Hillman Prizes in the United States. This means that any U.S submission to the Hillman Prize will automatically be considered for this new award. The prize will be announced in the spring of 2025.
The 2023 Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize has been awarded to Annie Zhang for her story ‘Who Rattles the Night?’ This story, which was runner-up for last year’s award, is an account of a couple settling into their new home and encountering the ghosts that reside there. The winner was chosen from a shortlist of eight stories and will receive $5,000 AUD, with two runners-up receiving $750 AUD each. The short story competition is organized by Overland, an Australian literary and cultural magazine.
For more information about the Society for the History of Technology’s prizes and fellowships, please see our various prize pages: Leonardo da Vindi Medal: The society’s highest honor, given to an individual who has made significant contributions to the field. Melvin Kranzberg Dissertation Fellowship: Awarded to a student preparing a dissertation on the history of technology. Brooke Hindle Postdoctoral Fellowship: Awarded to a researcher to support the completion of a project related to the history of technology. Sally Hacker Prize: Awarded for an exceptional book on the history of technology intended for non-specialist readers. Joan Cahalin Robinson Prize: Awarded to a graduate student or early career scholar presenting at the SHOT annual meeting for the first time. Samuel Eleazar and Rose Tartakow Levinson Prize: Awarded for an unpublished essay in the history of technology.
The Sydney Peace Prize is Australia’s international prize recognising leading global voices who promote peace, justice and non-violence. This year’s lecturer is Iranian-born human rights activist and actress Nazanin Boniadi, who will deliver her address at Sydney Town Hall on 2 November.