By Dean Smith

Dean Smith, director of Duke University Press, presented this year’s award at the AUPresses 2026 Annual Meeting in Seattle on June 15, 2026.

It’s an honor to be asked to present this year’s Constituency Award. It’s always been a favorite moment of mine at the AUPresses Meeting and this year’s winner cares deeply about the issues we face.

She demonstrates the special qualities of this dynamic and beautiful community—namely, that we are all in this together—and that there are those among us who consistently and freely make contributions that have helped make us all sustainable.