Office of the Vice President for Research
Innovation Awards
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Each year the Vice President for Research (VPR) seeks to identify and reward members
of the university community that have made outstanding research, creative, and other
scholarly contributions. These awards celebrate the outstanding scholarly careers
of our most productive and influential faculty members in the areas of basic research,
applied research, creative activities, lifetime achievement, and academic partnerships.
Innovation Awards in various categories are open to tenured and non-tenured faculty,
staff, graduate students, and external entities.
These are honors bestowed on individuals with significant research or creative careers
that stand out from the generally impressive work of their colleagues. Faculty awards
include a medallion to be worn at commencements.
List of Previous Innovation Award Recipients
Solicitation of Awards
The Vice President for Research is soliciting nominations of individuals for each
Innovation Award category as described below. We are requesting the campus community
to make recommendations for awards, which will then be reviewed by the Research Advisory
Council Awards Committee and approved by the nominee’s respective Dean and Vice President
for Research. Self-nominations are not permitted. Nominations will be accepted till
February 23rd.
Process for Applicant and Winner Selection
The VPR office will send each nominee a request for data to support their nomination. An individual can decline the nomination. If an individual elects to submit his/her name, their curriculum vitae and one-page narrative must be submitted to Kim%20Wingo%2C by March 15th. The Research Advisory Council Awards Committee will evaluate applications, and final selections will be approved by the nominees respective Dean and Vice President for Research.
Categories of Awards:
Basic Research Award - The Basic Research Award honors a faculty member who has conducted systematic research
to advance general knowledge, understand phenomena or build theories through her/his
research and built the rubric of his/her research. Nominees should demonstrate a high
level of external recognition.
Applied Research Award - The Applied Research Award honors a faculty member who has employed the results
of basic research to solve specific scientific or social problems or to serve pragmatic
purposes such as the practical implementation of research, or to suggest system or
policy changes in his/her research area. Nominees should demonstrate a high level
of external recognition.
Creative Research Award - The Creative Research Award honors a faculty member who has achieved a high degree
of accomplishment in one or more areas of creative work at The University of Southern
Mississippi. Discipline areas include, but are not necessarily limited to, creative
writing, dance, theater, music, visual arts, film, radio, broadcast, or creative activities
related to the sciences. Nominees should demonstrate a high level of external recognition.
Lifetime Reserach Award - The Lifetime Research Award honors a senior faculty member whose scholarly or creative
career has made an extraordinary and significant impact on their discipline, as perceived
not only by our university's faculty community, but also by other members of that
profession. Nominees should demonstrate a high level of external recognition.
Academic Partnership Award - The Academic Partnership Award honors a faculty member who has pioneered or sustained
innovative partnerships between The University of Southern Mississippi and other institutions
or groups (including but not necessarily limited to businesses, state and federal
agencies, professional associations, community groups or nonprofit organizations).
Nominees should demonstrate the primacy of their role in establishing and maintaining
academic partnerships for the University.
Multidisciplinary Award - The Multidisciplinary Awards honors a faculty member who is a pioneer in cross-disciplinary
research collaboration to identify innovative solutions or intellectual accomplishments
that extend beyond their field. Nominees should demonstrate high levels of external
recognition.
Research Advocate Award - The Research Advocate Award honors an administrator or staff member who has made
significant contributions to fostering research at The University of Southern Mississippi.
Nominees should demonstrate a high level of internal recognition.
Graduate Student Reserach Award - The Graduate Student Research Award recognizes a graduate student who has demonstrated
exemplary scholarly or creative achievement. Documentation of outstanding accomplishment
is required from each nominee.
Eligibility Requirements
Faculty Awards — Basic Research, Applied Research, Creative Activities, Academic Partnerships,
Multidisciplinary, and Lifetime Research
- A faculty member in his/her college who represents the highest standards in research or creative activities
- Tenure track and non-tenure track faculty are eligible for faculty awards
Faculty nominees must be full-time employees of the university - Previous Innovation Award winners are ineligible for five years from the time of the previous award, with the exception of the Lifetime Achievement Award. An individual is eligible to win the Lifetime Achievement Award only once.
Graduate Student Research Award
- A full-time graduate student in his/her college who represents the highest standards of research or creative activity
- Undergraduate students are ineligible
Research Advocate Award
- An administrator or staff member in his/her college who has made significant contributions to fostering research at the university
- Students are ineligible
Faculty members are encouraged to submit the names of other faculty, administrators, staff, students, or external entities via the Nomination Form. Faculty who consider themselves worthy of nomination may request nomination by an associate or peer who understands the value of their particular contribution to the University. Self-nomination is not allowed.
Innovation Awards Application Materials
The Office of the Vice President for Research will contact each nominee, who will then have the option to accept or decline the nomination. If an individual elects to accept the nomination, he/she will be required to submit application materials, no later than March 15th.
Application materials must be submitted as a single document and include the following:
- A one-page narrative by the nominee stating the significance of his/her research/creative/partnership activity.
- A curriculum vitae listing all activities relevant to the award category.
If you have questions about the submission process, please contact Kim%20Wingo%20or call 601.266.6849.