Mensa Foundation awards

One of the Mensa Education & Research Foundation's purposes is to identify and foster human intelligence for the benefit of humanity. To further this goal, several awards programs have been established to recognize the research and support of intelligence.

Each year the Mensa Foundation gives awards for excellence in research on human intelligence. Papers may cover any aspect of intelligence or intellectual giftedness, including the fields of education, psychology, sociology, neurology, physiology, biochemistry or psychometrics.

Copper Black, a Mensan, valued creativity. In her will, she left a legacy for a special annual award recognizing an outstanding achievement by a member of American Mensa. Eligible achievements include inventions that have been patented or otherwise demonstrated to be of practical value, or innovations that have been implemented, at least in part, to the advantage of persons other than the nominee.

On an annual basis, the Mensa Foundation recognizes teachers, professors or instructors at all educational levels who have had especially positive influences on the education or lives of Mensa members.

The Intellectual Benefits Award recognizes the application of a Mensan's intellectual abilities that have resulted in tangible benefit to society. It is presented both nationally and internationally.

The Research Review Committee, a joint committee of American Mensa and the Mensa Foundation, recognizes lifetime contributions to the field of intelligence and related subjects through the Lifetime Achievement Award.  The award highlights an exceptional body of work in research, theory or other scholarly work by a living person over a period of not less than 15 years. 

The Mensa Press Award recognizes excellence in writing about human intelligence and giftedness. It is designed to encourage reporters and editors to spread the latest news about intelligence to their audiences.

The Mensa Foundation college scholarship program is unique in that its awards are based totally on essays written by the applicants.  The program is very large in the geographic area it covers — usually about 75% of the United States; the number of applications — approximately 4,000 to 6,000 in recent years; and the amount of money available for awards — upwards of $60,000 in some years. Approximately 400 member volunteers around the country oversee the program at the local, regional and national levels.