The Environmental Design Research Association (EDRA) invites distinguished professionals and scholars to serve as jurors for the annual Great Places Awards, which recognize outstanding contributions to the design, planning, creation, study, and understanding of people-centered places. Jurors play a critical role in upholding the rigor, values, and interdisciplinary spirit that define these international awards.
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL JURORS
Jurors for the Great Places Awards should embody excellence in environmental design research, practice, or leadership. Across all categories, EDRA seeks individuals with the following qualifications:
Professional and Academic Expertise
- Established professionals with significant academic research experience, or;
- Experienced practitioners in architecture, landscape architecture, urban design, planning, public art, environmental psychology, or affiliated disciplines, or;
- Leaders in public agencies, nonprofit organizations, or community-focused institutions involved in environmental design or place-related work.
Experience and Competencies
- Recognized leadership in design, planning, research, environmental arts, publishing, or place-making.
- Demonstrated understanding of human–environment relationships, social and ecological issues, and community-engaged processes.
- Ability to evaluate submissions using clear criteria, evidence-based assessment, and interdisciplinary perspectives.
- Prior review or jury experience (e.g., editorial review, design award jury, peer-review panels) is strongly preferred.
Commitment and Integrity
- Ability to devote time for careful, independent review of all submissions within the assigned category.
- Commitment to equity, inclusion, transparency, and impartiality.
- Willingness to assess projects from diverse cultural, geographic, and methodological contexts.
All nominations must be received by January 14, 2026. Selected Jurors will hear from EDRA by the end of January and will need to be able to adhere to the following timeline:
- Orientation Call: week of February 2, 2026
- Jurors receive applications: February 20, 2026
- Reviews Due from Jurors: March 22, 2026
To see a list of previous jurors, visit the GPA Jurors webpage.
To see a list of award categories, visit the GPA Categories webpage.
Any questions, please reach out to headquarters@edra.org.