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 typically 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 $2,000 honorarium. The recipient will be invited to present the highlights of the work at a one-hour presentation that is open to the public.

NOTE: 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.

List of Previous Recipients

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:

  1. a broad dissemination recognizing the specific research project or creative activity and garnering substantial interest by the media and general public;
  2. recognition of a substantial impact by a broad constituency outside OSU of the implications of the research project or creative activity;
  3. completion of the work (e.g., published, presented) within three years of the nomination

Nomination Process and Submission

Following the instructions completely will ensure consideration of the nomination.

The nominator shall submit the Cover Sheet, Nomination Form and the complete submission packet in one PDF via the Qualtrics Submission Form. Do not begin entering information on the Qualtrics form unless you are ready to submit the nomination – the form CANNOT be saved and finished at a later time. The submission packet will include evidence that the nominee meets the criteria, as well as (1) position description indicating breakdown of FTE allocation; (2) relevant items from print and broadcast media; (3) evidence of the candidate's achievements; (4) three letters of support*; and (5) the nominee’s vita and copies of scholarly works (e.g., publications, presentations, creation in arts, proof of patent or technology) relevant to the nomination.

* Two letters of support shall be written by unit heads/leaders (e.g., dean, chair, supervisor, director, unit administrator). The third letter 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 letters of support each shall not exceed two single-sided pages using at least 12 pitch and 1" margins. Signatures on the letters must be included.

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)

Please note, the nominator is not eligible to submit a letter of support.

The award criteria can be addressed on separate pages for each criteria or within the letters of support. Please be certain that the nomination materials, particularly the three letters, address the criteria.

When organizing the PDF for submission, please ensure that the cover sheet is on the first page, with the nomination form as the second page. Evidence of supporting criteria (if provided on separate pages) and letters of support must be attached in the order indicated above.

Additional information submitted with the nomination will not be considered; please include only requested information and refer to the guidelines when organizing submission packets.

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 Relations and Marketing. Committee recommendations will be made on the basis of the information submitted; the committee does not solicit additional information.

Nomination packets are due by Noon on April 12, 2023.