The George Wright Society (GWS) has honored RSG Senior Director Steve Lawson with their prestigious award for Social Science Achievement. The award is given in recognition of excellence in social science research, management, or education related to parks, reserves, and other protected areas.
The GWS is a nonprofit association of researchers, managers, administrators, educators, and other professionals who work in, or on behalf of, parks, protected areas, and cultural/historic sites. The GWS Social Science Achievement Award is part of their ‘Imagine Excellence’ program, an initiative to acknowledge people who have made major contributions in the areas of natural and cultural resources, social sciences, communications, and related fields.
Dr. Steve Lawson stands in a unique position at the intersection of theory and practice in public lands planning and management. He has conducted research in some of the United States’ most iconic national parks and has published extensively in the field’s most prominent journals, authoring and co-authoring dozens of influential papers. Though he secured a tenured faculty position in academia, he chose to transition to a consultancy where he could focus on applied projects—putting ideas into action at national parks, national forests, and other protected lands.
“Steve has contributed so much to our national parks through his tireless work to advance the field of social science research. His vision and dedication to bridging the gap between recreation research and practice serve as an inspiration, and the results of his work will benefit park visitors for years to come,” said Stephen Lawe, RSG CEO.
Over the past decade, Lawson has built a consulting team within RSG that focuses on public lands planning and management, and he currently oversees RSG’s multi-year contract with the National Park Service’s Social Science Program. Colleagues have daily opportunities to observe Lawson’s deep devotion to protected areas and his single-minded focus on high-quality data collection, analysis, and reporting. He is a skilled manager who inspires his team by persuasively articulating the “story” underlying visitor use management principles in protected areas.
To celebrate his dedication, Steve will receive a Social Science Achievement award plaque, a year’s complimentary membership to the GWS, and recognition at a future GWS award ceremony.
About RSG: RSG creatively applies state-of-the-art modeling and analytics to transportation planning, market strategy, and environmental management, helping organizations make critical decisions with confidence. RSG is a 100% employee-owned company headquartered in White River Junction (VT) with additional locations in Burlington (VT), Arlington (VA), Evansville (IN), Chicago (IL), Salt Lake City (UT), Portland (OR), and San Diego (CA).