The University of Houston is pleased to announce the Awards for Excellence in Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity Program for 2017-2018. Awards of $8,000 each will be made to six (6) faculty, two (2) each at the Assistant Professor, Associate Professor and Professor levels.

Awards at the rank of Professor are for those who have compiled a substantial continuing record of outstanding research, scholarship and creative activities. Nominees for this award must have achieved pre-eminence in their field. At the time of nomination, an individual must have at least five (5) years of service at the University of Houston.

Awards at the rank of Associate Professor are for those who have established a growing record of outstanding research, scholarship, and creative contributions, and who are at the point of emerging leadership in their field. At the time of nomination, individuals must have at least three (3) years of service at the University of Houston.

Awards at the rank of Assistant Professor are for those who have demonstrated great potential in research, scholarship, and creative endeavors by virtue of the exceptional quality of their early contributions. At the time of nomination, individuals must have at least two (2) years of service at the University of Houston.

Nominations are sought from all units across campus, but should be limited to those individuals who are clearly exceptional. An individual can receive an award only once at any rank and no more than one award every three years. We trust that these awards, although limited in number, will provide visibility and appreciation for the excellent research, scholarship and creative activity found throughout the University.

Nominators must be faculty members at the University of Houston and may make no more than one nomination at each rank. Members of the review subcommittee must not review or vote on nominees from their own department and must excuse themselves from any meeting during the time when such nominees are discussed. See Nomination Form.

Evaluations will be based on persuasiveness of arguments for merit and evidence of the nominee’s accomplishments as described in:

1. the letter of nomination;
2. relative comparisons with others in the field, as well as significance and scope of contribution(s) as described in arm's length letters from outside the University and in the nominee’s field; and
3. assessment of accomplishments from the CV.

Each candidate will be rated on criteria relevant to their discipline. Examples (not exhaustive and a variety of accomplishments are possible across disciplines): articles, books, choreographies, citations, commissioned works, concerts, critics' reviews, directing plays and/or films, exhibitions, installations, fellowships, grants, key roles in significant projects, national/international awards, patents, peer-reviewed publications, inclusion in important anthologies, prose and poetry collections, press releases, prizes, recordings, translations and/or critical editions, translations of the candidate's work, monographs, invited/keynote presentations at major national/international meetings and at other universities, and other research funds from donations, contracts, or agencies with limited competition and/or peer review.

Nomination letters should strictly follow these guidelines and explain how the nominee’s accomplishments match the standards of excellence for awards in any of these areas. Letters of recommendation should be from people in the nominee’s area who can attest to the significance of the nominee’s accomplishments and should not be from collaborators or friends (i.e., the letters should be at arm's length).

Letters of reference can be used for a period of up to 3 years. If a nominee is being re-nominated, the letter of nomination and the CV must be updated.

Nominations must be submitted electronically to awardsforexcellence@share.uh.edu no later than 5 p.m. Monday, December 4, 2017. No nominations will be accepted after the deadline.