I could not make it to the DH conference in Hamburg this year (though I did manage to appear virtually). As chair of the Busa Award committee I had the pleasure of announcing that Willard McCarty had won the award. Willard will accept the award in 2013 when DH meets at the University of Nebraska. Here is the text of my announcement which was read today in Hamburg:

I was very pleased to serve as the Chair of the Busa Award committee this cycle, and though I am disappointed that I was unable to travel to Hamburg this year to make this announcement in person, I’m delighted with the end result. I am also delighted that the award will be given at the 2013 conference hosted by the University of Nebraska. Having recently joined the faculty there, I’m quite certain I will be attending next year’s meeting!

The winner of the 2013 Busa Award is a man of legendary kindness and generosity. His contributions to the growth and prominence of Digital Humanities will be familiar to us all. He is a gentleman, a scholar, a philosopher, and a long time fighter for the cause. He is, by one colleague’s accounting, the “Obi-Wan Kenobi” of Digital Humanities. And I must concur that “the force” is strong with this one. Please join me in congratulating Willard McCarty on his selection for the 2013 Busa Award.