The Hamako Ito Chaplin Memorial Award will again be conferred in 2027, administered through the Association for Asian Studies. In accordance with the wishes of the Chaplin family, each year a prize of $1,000 will be awarded to either a current graduate student or a full-time instructor of Japanese for excellence in Japanese language teaching at the college-level. A full-time instructor who has completed graduate study within the last 3 years in an area that directly involves Japanese language teaching is eligible to apply. Possible academic fields of specialization include, but not limited to, Japanese language pedagogy, linguistics, anthropology, and literature. Current graduate students must demonstrate their intention to enter the teaching field in a North American university. Professor Yunchuan Chen (Duke University) serves as Chair of the Selection Committee, Professor Mariko Shigeta Schimmel (Grinnell College) serves as representative of the Northeast Asia Council of AAS for the committee, and Professor George Chaplin serves ex-officio.
Individuals interested in applying (self-nomination) and faculty members interested in nominating an eligible graduate student or instructor (nomination) should download an application form at the following link:
Hamako Ito Chaplin Award Application 2027
You may also request the application form via email by contacting Dr. Yunchuan Chen (yunchuan.chen@duke.edu).
Completed applications must be submitted to the following email address by January 22, 2027: yunchuan.chen@duke.edu. The award will be announced in the AAS #AsiaNow cBlog.
Persons interested in contributing to the award fund should send their contributions to: The Hamako Ito Chaplin Memorial Award, c/o Association for Asian Studies, 825 Victors Way, Suite 310, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48108.