The OSU Impact Award for Outstanding Scholarship recognizes OSU faculty who have demonstrated outstanding scholarship in a specific project or activity resulting in substantial impact beyond the university setting. The award will be presented at University Day. The award consists of identification of the recipient on a plaque prominently displayed in the Research Office, a plaque for the recipient’s college, a plaque for the recipient and a $2,500 honorarium. The recipient will be invited to present the highlights of the work at a one-hour presentation that is open to the public.
Eligibility
The Impact Award recognizes an outstanding scholarship activity and is therefore open to all OSU faculty members.
Award Criteria
To qualify for the Impact Award, an OSU faculty member’s scholarship must be demonstrated by a specific research project or creative activity (e.g., technology; materials; methods; patent; education approach; creation or interpretation in the arts including performing arts; work on a committee, panel, or editorship resulting in a fundamental shift in the field) that was broadly disseminated where the implications of the project or activity were found to have great impact by a broad constituency. Nominations must provide evidence of the impact that attends to:
Nomination Process
The nomination must come from a major administrative unit (e.g., college, institute, center, organization) at OSU. Each major administrative unit may nominate one (1) person. Major units (e.g., college) with four (4) or more subunits (e.g., departments) may forward two (2) nominees.
Nominations shall include: (1) the completed nomination form; (2) the nominee's complete vita and copies of scholarly works (e.g., publications, presentations, creation in arts, proof of patent or technology) relevant to the nomination; (3) position description indicating breakdown of FTE allocation; (4) relevant items from print and broadcast media; and (5) evidence of the candidate's achievements. A total of three letters of support shall provide sufficient information for the evaluation of nominees. Two letters of support shall be written by unit heads/leaders (e.g., dean, chair, supervisor, director, unit administrator), and a third shall be from a referee who is not associated with the University but who can comment on the nominee's qualifications with respect to the Impact Award criteria.
The outside referee must not have had any direct personal and/or professional relationships with the nominee (e.g., former advisors; collaborators on degrees, projects, grants, publications).
Each letter of support shall not exceed three single-sided pages using at least 12 point font and 1" margins. Please be certain that the nomination materials, particularly the three letters, address the award criteria.
Signatures on the letters and supporting documents must be included, but may be electronic.
Please note: The nomination packet for the successful recipient becomes University property and will not be returned to the nominator.
Selection Process
Nominations will be reviewed and selected by the Faculty Recognition and Awards Committee, and a representative from both the Research Office and University Advancement. Committee recommendations will be made on the basis of the information submitted; the committee does not solicit additional information.
