The IAPR Distinguished Service Award is based on service to the IAPR, with these criteria:
- They have made sustained contributions over time – e.g., 20 years or more of volunteer leadership within IAPR. Not considered qualifying are contributions over a shorter period of time – say, over 4-5 years, or intermittent contributions with large gaps in IAPR involvement.
- The contributions have been impactful from an international perspective – i.e., identifiable improvements that have moved the organization forward and that reflect the organization’s global reach. Not considered qualifying are contributions limited to a single country’s national society or that have been ephemeral (running an existing conference series but making no significant improvements).
- They have held diverse roles in the organization – e.g. multiple important leadership roles in three or more different capacities: for example, chairing major IAPR conferences along with leadership service on IAPR Technical Committees, IAPR Standing Committees, and the IAPR ExCo.
Awards will be made at each ICPR. As this is a new award, there will be multiple award winners initially, but the expectation is that eventually there will be at most one award given at each ICPR. Awards can be made posthumously.
Award Winners in 2026
Michael Duff *
For long and distinguished service to the IAPR, including ten years on the Executive Committee, founding and securing IAPR affiliation of the UK’s BPRA, editing the IAPR Newsletter, and serving as chair of IAPR Standing and Technical Committees.
Susan Duff
For skillful management and transformative service as the first IAPR Secretariat and as the IAPR Newsletter Layout Editor for 10 years.
Herbert Freeman *
For outstanding and sustained leadership in the IAPR, and particularly for essential, defining contributions to its establishment and early development.
King-Sun Fu *
For preeminent scientific achievements and visionary administrative accomplishments leading to the foundation of the IAPR and for exemplary leadership in its first decade.
Josef Kittler
For outstanding service to the IAPR, including visionary leadership as IAPR President, enduring commitment to advancing the IAPR’s international activities, and distinguished service as General Chair of ICPR 2004, 2018, and 2024.
Walter Kropatsch
For outstanding and sustained proactive leadership in the IAPR, particularly as a leader or member of innumerable IAPR committees over more than four decades of service.
Gabriella Sanniti di Baja
For long-term outstanding service to the IAPR, including ten years of service on the Executive Committee, culminating in her historic role as the first woman IAPR President and Past President, and for distinguished service on numerous IAPR committees.
Jean-Claude Simon *
For outstanding committee leadership in IAPR, including the Executive Committee and many others; for consistent, early leadership of ICPR; and for laying the foundation for ICFHR and ICDAR.
* – awarded posthumously