Call for Proposals: 2026 MILKA BLIZNAKOV RESEARCH PRIZE
Deadline for receipt of proposals: January 15, 2026

The IAWA Center invites architects, scholars, professionals, students, and researchers to honor IAWA founder Professor Milka T. Bliznakov through research on women in architecture and related design fields. This research, in concert with the preservation efforts of the IAWA, is intended to help fill the current void in historical knowledge about women’s professional achievements. The prize is designed to facilitate in-person research in the IAWA archive and produce scholarship related to the work of women who shaped the designed environment, thus preserving for posterity a record of their achievements.

The Board of Advisors of the International Archive of Women in Architecture Center (IAWA) presents this Annual Prize of $5000. The prize is awarded in two stages. After proposals are submitted and evaluated, a Milka Bliznakov Research Prize Residency Candidate will be named and awarded $2500 to facilitate travel to the Archive in Blacksburg, VA. After the Candidate has completed research and writing, and submitted their work to the IAWA, the Award Winner will be named and a further $2500 awarded.

PROPOSAL CONTENT:
The proposal must outline the work the applicant plans to complete at the Archive to produce an original project, research, or scholarly work that advances the recognition of women’s contributions in design. The proposal shall draw upon the IAWA collections while reflecting upon the broader context.

More Information: https://iawacenter.aad.vt.edu/prizes/milka-bliznakov.html