Each year the Historical Section of the Botanical Society will offer an award for the best student presentation of a historical nature at the annual meetings. A judging committee evaluates each student presentation and selects a winner based on the quality of the work and the presentation. The recipient of the award receives a certificate, a cash award, and is a guest of the Section at the BSA banquet.

2016 - Aniket Sengupta, University of Kansas - for the presentation: “Calcutta Botanical Garden and making of the modern world.”

2012 - Kathryn LeCroy, Birmingham Southern College - Advisor, Clare Emily Clifford, for her presentation: “Botanical Literature in 19th-century United States Gift Books and Annuals.”

2011 - Nuala Caomhanach, University of Missouri, Advisor, Kim Kleinman, for her presentation: “Thomas Nuttall and 19th Century Botany: The St. Louis Connection.”

2010 - Philip Marshall, Yale University, School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, for his presentation: “Pinus strobus L. and the historical utilization and management of southern New England forests, 1600-1938.”

2009 - Mauricio Bonifacino, Universidad De La República, Montevideo, Uruguay
for his poster: “Cassini the 5th, Master of Compositae: insight into his life and work.”Co-authors: Harold Robinson, Vicki A. Funk, Walter Lack, Gerhard Wagenitz, Christian Feuillet and Nicholas Hind.

2008 - Sarah Kelsey, Rutgers University
for her poster: “The Establishment and Persistence of Plants Introduced to New Jersey by Solid Ballast on Ships.” Co-authors were Sasha Eisenman and Lena Struwe.

2007
This award was established in 2007 to highlight excellence in the area of historical presentations at the Botanical Society of America meetings. It is given to the student or students presenting historical papers in any section or symposium. The first award goes to Witt Taylor of Arizona State University and S. Y. Smith of the Royal Holloway University of London for the arrangement of the "A Symposium in Honor of Sherwin Carlquist".