Lifetime and Five-Year Achievement University Research/Creative Activity Awards

Selection Procedures for Lifetime and Five-Year Achievement University Research/Creative Activity Awards

Objective

The annual lifetime and five-year achievement university research/creative activity awards reward originality and excellence in research and creative activities as evidenced by sustained high quality work performed while contributing to the academic functions of East Carolina University at any rank or status.

Awards Per Year

One annual lifetime and one annual five-year achievement university research/creative activity award recipients. These awards carry a monetary prize and are presented in a special awards ceremony each spring.

Eligibility

Nominees must:

  • have demonstrated sustained high quality research and creative activity while contributing to the academic functions of ECU at any rank or status;
  • have completed at least five years of working at ECU or have taught at ECU at least five or more years; and
  • have been involved in research at ECU in the academic year in which they are selected.

Nomination Procedures and Guidelines

Nominations may be made in the following ways:

  1. by the department-level academic units (including areas of concentration) or
  2. by other representatives in the faculty member’s field of work.

Nominations from academic units must be based on the unit’s stated criteria for evaluating faculty research and creative activities. Independent nominations must include a similar statement of perspective, specifying criteria against which the applicant may wish to be judged.

Nominations should:

  1. provide evidence of the nominee’s productivity;
  2. provide peer review evidence of the value and influence of the nominee’s work;
  3. provide any additional information that could assist the selection committee with reaching a decision;
  4. focus on the nominee’s research and creative achievements during five years of continuous service at ECU if nominated for the five-year award;
  5. focus on the nominee’s research and creative achievements sustained over their entire career, with an emphasis on work accomplished at ECU, if nominated for the lifetime award.

Nominations are made in the following two steps: (1) Nominee names and basic information must be submitted to a survey link posted on the Faculty Senate website by September 15 at 5:00 pm (or the next business day if the 15th falls on a weekend). Nominees will be contacted by OFE following the survey nomination deadline and provided with information about the application packet that must be submitted if they wish to pursue the award. (2) A nomination letter addressing the criteria outlined above and specifying the award for which the nominee is to be considered (five-year or lifetime), should be provided to the nominee no later than 5:00 p.m. on October 15, or the next business day if the 15th falls on a weekend.

Nominees who wish to pursue the award must submit their application packets electronically in accordance with directions provided by the OFE no later than 11:59 p.m. EDT on November 1, or the next business day if the 1st falls on a weekend. In addition, nominees will complete a provided information sheet template and submit an electronic photograph.

The application packet must adhere to the following specifications. It must:

  1. include representative examples of your research and creative activity.
  2. utilize margins, fonts, type sizes, and colors to ensure readability; and
  3. be a total of 50 pages or fewer. This page limit does not include the itemized list, information sheet, photograph, and CV.

The application packet must include:

  • Contents: itemized list of all materials in the application packet
  • Impact Statement (not to exceed 2 pages, double-spaced). The impact statement highlights the nominee’s contributions and accomplishments, including the context for research and creative activity materials provided in the packet
  • Nomination letter
  • CV: a complete curriculum vitae
  • Research materials: at least 1, and no more than 3, samples of your published research and/or creative activity output that can be submitted electronically. Examples include, but are not limited to, patents or other commercialization products, entire journal articles, excerpts from journal articles or books, still photos, and links to digital media.
  • Three external letters of recommendation, printed on institutional letterhead about the nominee’s accomplishments and contributions in research and creative activities. These external letters offer a thorough and objective assessment of the nominee’s work, articulating the significant impact of their contributions on their respective field of scholarship. Furthermore, the endorsing parties must clearly outline the nature of their relationship with the nominee, bot past and present, to provide context for their evaluation.

Evaluation Procedures

In September, the selection committee will be established by the Academic Awards Committee and will consist of three to five members of the Academic Awards Committee and at least one representative from the Office of Research, Economic Development, and Engagement. Following the appointment or election of a selection committee chair, the selection committee will develop a checklist and rubric for evaluating and scoring the application packets in accordance with the approved award procedures.

In November, packets will be made available to members of the committee, and the selection committee will review and evaluate the submitted materials according to the developed checklist and rubric. The checklist and rubric must mirror the award guidelines. After review of submissions, selection committee will identify their top candidates in rank order for committee discussion.

In December, the Academic Awards Committee will forward to the Chief Research Officer the names of all nominees, indicating those they have recommended to receive the awards, and make available the supporting documentation of the selected recipients. Based on the award guidelines, the Chief Research Officer either concurs or meets with the committee to seek resolution.

In the Spring, the award recipients will be recognized during the annual Research and Scholarship Awards Ceremony. Following the public announcement of this award, the Chancellor and Provost will send a letter of recognition to the recipients and letter of appreciation to nominees.

The award-winning portfolios will be kept on file for public review in the Office for Faculty Excellence, Joyner Library.

(Faculty Senate Resolutions #09-34; #12-72; #17-41, #21-34, #23-28, editorially revised in April 2024; #25-41)