Three rural sociologists receive national awards

Three UW–Madison rural sociologists were honored by the Rural Sociological Society at its 1999 annual meeting in Chicago in August.

Emeritus professor Gene Summers received the Distinguished Rural Sociologist award, the most prestigious honor presented by the Society. The award recognized Summers for his career accomplishments in research, teaching, outreach and public policy.

The Society’s Natural Resources Research Group presented an Award of Merit to Fred Buttel, who currently chairs the Department of Rural Sociology. The award recognized Buttel for his contributions to the theory of environmental sociology and for writing one of the most prominent books in that field.

David D. Long, a graduate student in the department, received the award for the most outstanding paper presented by a student at the Rural Sociological Society meeting. Long’s study contrasted how the Town of Middleton and the Town of Dunn — two communities on the fringe of Madison — have responded to the pressures of urban sprawl.

The 62-year-old Rural Sociological Society represents more than 1,000 professional sociologists. Both Summers and Buttel are former presidents of the society.