Robert E. Wood was awarded the
"Outstanding Contributions to Instruction Award"
by the American Sociological Association for his development of
the Wadsworth exclusive "Virtual Explorations."

The award "for the development of a computing application or applications
that provide innovative developments that enhance instruction in
undergraduate sociology" was awarded to Dr. Wood
at the ASA annual meeting in August 2002.

Excerpts from the citation:

"Robert E. Wood has pioneered the use of the World Wide Web to enhance the teaching of undergraduate sociology. His 'virtual tours' . . . enrich the learning process for not only his own students, but those of many other undergraduate institutions as well; students and instructors throughout the world may access his tours . . . He has inspired others to develop their own 'virtual tours,' and has worked with Wadsworth Publishing Company to create, thus far, eighteen tours that cover a wide range of sociological topics . . . Dr. Wood has indeed made an outstanding contribution to the advancement of sociological instruction, and thereby, sociology itself."