The Hennig Society was established in 1980 with the goal of promoting Phylogenetic Systematics. Emphasizing that organisms, or taxa, should be recognized and named only as monophyletic groups, reflecting their evolutionary realities, this approach has become central to modern systematics.
The research award, named in honor of founder J. S. Farris, aims to support graduate students conducting parsimony-based research on systematics. This initiative reflects the society's commitment to fostering the next generation of scholars in the field of Phylogenetic Systematics, ensuring the continuation and advancement of Hennig's influential work.