DR. MICHAEL CICHAN is remembered as a distinguished scientist, a gentle person and a gentleman. He was a private person whose life and ambition centered around his family. He cared about people and their feelings. A man embarrassed or uneasy when he received an honor for which his friends and colleagues were also potential recipients. Presented by the Paleobotanical section, this award was named in honor of the memory and work of Michael A Cichan, who died in a plane crash in August of 1987. The Award was established to encourage work by young researchers at the interface of structural and evolutionary botany. This award is given to a young scholar for a paper published during the previous year in the fields of evolutionary and/or structural botany.

2014-2020 -No Michael Cichan Awards were awarded between 2014-2019

2013 -Anne-Laure Decombeix, French National Center for Scientific Resaerch at UMR AMAP Montpellier, for the paper titled: "The origins and early evolution of the megaphylous leaf," International Journal of Plant Sciences 171"641-661

2012 -Dr. Jean Galtier, Botanique et Bioinformatique de l'Archiectures des Plantes (AMAP)
For the paper: “The origins and early evolution of the megaphylous leaf.” International Journal of Plant Sciences 171"641-661

2008 - Dr. Maria A. Gandolfo, Cornell University
For her paper: “Fossil Nelumbonaceae from the La Colonia Formation (Campanian-Maastrichtian, Upper Cretaceous), Chubut, Patagonia, Argentina.” Co-author on the paper is N. R. Cuneo.

2005 - Ruth A. Stockey, University of Alberta
For her paper: “Diversity among taxodioid conifers Metasequoia foxii sp. nov. from the Paleocene of Central Alberta, Canada” with co-authors G.W. Rothwell and A.B. Falder.

2002 - Gar Rothwell
For his paper with co-author G. Mapes: “Barthelia furcata gen. et sp. nov., with a review of Paleozoic coniferophytes and a discussion of coniferophyte systematics”

1999 - Karen A. Renzaglia, Southern Illinois University
For her paper co-authored with Douglas L. Bernhard and David J. Garbary entitled, "Developmental ultrastructure of the male gamete of Selaginella."

1997 - Brigitte Meyer-Berthaud
For her paper entitled, "A reinvestigation of Stenolyelon from the Late Tournasian of Scotland."

1996 - Jack B. Fisher, Fairchild Tropical Garden and Frank W. Ewers, Michigan State University
For their work with the anatomy of lianas, and the paper "Vessel dimensions in liana and tree species of Gnetum (Gnetales)."

1995 - Steven R. Manchester, University of Florida
For his paper entitled "Fruits and Seeds of the Middle Eocene Nut Beds Flora, Clamo Formation, Oregon."

1993 - Karl J. Niklas, University of Illinois
For his paper entitled, "Plant Biomechanics."

1992 - Elisabeth A. Wheeler, Harvard University
For her paper entitled, "Paleocene dicotyledonous trees from Big Bend National Park, Texas."

1991 - Paul Kenrick
For his paper with Peter Crane and Winfried Remy entitled "The structure of water-conducting cells in the enigmatic early land plants Stockmansella langi, Huvenia kleui, and Sciadophyton" published in ARGUMENTA PALEOBOTANICA vol. 8.

1990 - Joanne M. Dannenhoffer, Central Michigan University
For her paper entitled "Rellimia thomsonii from the Givetian of New York: secondary growth in three orders of branching," American Jouranl of Botany, Vol. 76.