Announcing the latest Myers Memorial Medal recipient
Edward F Kelly, professor in the University of Virginia’s Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, is the latest recipient of the prestigious Myers Memorial Medal. The medal is awarded by the Society for Psychical Research on an occasional basis to those who have made significant contributions to the field. Professor Kelly is the ninth recipient of the award; the first, Prof Ian Stevenson, was also on the faculty at the University of Virginia. He will give a talk to the SPR in 2021 (details tba), before which he will be formally presented with the award.
Ed Kelly has been active in parapsychology for several decades and is being recognised for his sustained efforts to explore the ramifications of psi phenomena for the mind-brain relationship, and the challenge posed by anomalous phenomena for reductionist physicalism more broadly. He was the chief editor of and a major contributor to Irreducible Mind: Toward a Psychology for the 21st Century and Beyond Physicalism: Toward Reconciliation of Science and Spirituality. In addition to these groundbreaking works he has researched and published in a variety of parapsychological areas. Irreducible Mind in particular builds on insights developed by Frederic Myers, making this award particularly appropriate.
The SPR’s Psi Encyclopedia contains an overview of Prof Kelly’s achievements in parapsychology:
https://psi-encyclopedia.spr.ac.uk/articles/edward-f-kelly
About the Myers Memorial Medal
The Myers Memorial Medal was introduced in 1995 both to honour the memory of SPR founder Frederic Myers (1843-1901) and to acknowledge significant contributions by current researchers. It was felt that individuals who had conducted important work were not being sufficiently recognised, and the medal would provide a token of appreciation. It is awarded on an irregular basis, with nominations considered by the Society’s President in consultation with the Vice-Presidents.