On Nov. 11, 2023, Dr. Doug Edwards, associate professor of philosophy, was added to a long list of recipients of the Harold T. Clark award. The award is given annually to the faculty member on campus whose actions and contributions have led to significant and notable accomplishments in their field of study.

In recent years, Edwards has published several books covering a wide range of topics under the umbrella of philosophy, several of which have received prestigious awards and recognition from major philosophy organizations. He works primarily on issues in metaphysics and the philosophy of language, focusing on math.

Acknowledging Edwards’ work and contributions, Interim Provost Stephanie Nesbitt said Edwards is “without a doubt one of the most prolific and distinguished scholars at Utica University.”

Philosophy professor and chair of the philosophy department Christopher Riddle said the honor boosts the reputation of the department as a whole. 

“For Dr. Edwards to be recognized by our institution demonstrates not only the academic significance of his work, but the deeply meaningful and important social impact of his scholarship as well,” he said. 

Philosophy at Utica has had a rough go-around in recent years. Edwards said the award serves as a way to reiterate the importance of philosophy in higher education, especially after the university announced the sunsetting of the major last year.

Edwards said it is important to keep philosophy alive as a subject to study at Utica, the award emphasizing the value it can serve to the world as a whole. He also expressed gratitude toward his fellow faculty members, who voted in favor of him receiving the honor.

“It was a great honor to be nominated and selected for the award by my colleagues,” Edwards said. “Research and scholarship has been something very important to me throughout my career, and to have my work recognized in this way means a lot.”

Having already done significant research in his field of study, Edwards hopes that the award will serve as motivation for future projects and exhibitions. He hasn’t given much thought on how he will use the $2,000 scholarship that comes with the award, he said, but believes that it could assist in publication purposes for an upcoming book he plans on releasing this year.

According to Edwards, research has always been an important part of his life, and it’s wonderful to see his work be recognized in this manner. Although this is a significant milestone in the quest to spread the good word of philosophy, in his words, “the work is never done.”