OVPR Faculty Awards: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the difference between the two tracks for Distinguished and Early Career Awards?
One track is for those conducting scientific research and scholarship in fields such as the sciences, engineering, medicine, public health, psychology and nursing, among other disciplines. The second track is for faculty conducting scholarship and research in fields such as social sciences, the arts and humanities.

What is the difference between the "Distinguished" and "Early Career" categories?
“Distinguished” is university full-time faculty, including research faculty, with 10+ years of experience, who received a terminal degree 10 or more years prior to the nomination date. "Early Career" faculty have less than 10 years of experience, and received a terminal degree within 10 years from the date of nomination. Both should be continuing as a member of the GW faculty for 2024-2025.

Can someone be nominated in more than one category?
No. Please choose the most applicable category for your nominee.

Can I nominate more than one person?
Yes, please feel free to nominate more than one person for different categories, but please nominate only one person for each category. 

Can honorees from previous years be nominated again?
Honorees from previous years are not eligible for the same category but may be nominated in other categories.

Can I nominate the same person/people that I nominated last year? 
Yes, as long as that person was not selected as the honoree in that category.

Will nominees be considered for more than one category?
Nominees to the Early Career and Distinguished Career Awards must be submitted to one track. If the review committee feels that a nominee is better suited to a different track than the one they were nominated in, the nominee will be moved to the more appropriate track for consideration.

A faculty member may be nominated by a student or postdoc for a Research Mentorship award in addition to the faculty-nominated OVPR Faculty Awards.

Who can submit a nomination for the Early and Distinguished Career Awards?
Any GW full-time faculty member may submit a nomination for one of the four career awards.

Does the nominee have to be a full-time faculty member?
Yes, the nominee must be a full-time GW faculty member for the Early Career and Distinguished Career Awards.  For the Research Mentorship Award, the nominee must be a mentee (i.e., student, trainee or postdoc).

Who can submit a nomination for the Research Mentorship Award?
Students, trainees and postdocs are eligible to nominate GW faculty for a Research Mentorship Award.

Students include:

• Undergraduates
• Graduate students
• Medical students

Trainees and postdocs include:

• Postdocs
• Medical residents
• Fellows

Can a recent graduate of GW submit a nomination for the Research Mentorship Award?
Yes, but an InfoReady account is still required. To establish an InfoReady account, the graduate will need to send a request with their preferred email address to [email protected]. They will be contacted to let them know how to access InfoReady to submit their nomination.

Can those serving on the review committee (i.e., Research Leadership Council) submit a nomination or write a letter of recommendation?
No, they may not, but they can recommend that others submit those letters. In fact, we encourage committee members to discuss potential nominees with chairs and deans.

Nomination Package Questions

If the department chair is the nominator, are three letters of support still required? 
Yes. One letter of support from the department chair and two letters of support from departmental colleagues are required, for a total of three letters. Please review the nomination package requirements.

Can additional materials, other than what is outlined in the nomination package requirements, be submitted?

Please do not submit more than the maximum number of materials as outlined in the nomination package requirements. A nomination will not be considered if guidelines are not followed. 

Does the department chair have to send the nomination package? 
No, the nominator should submit the nomination package via InfoReady. However, we encourage nominators to discuss nominees with chairs and deans.

How should the nomination packages be submitted? 
All required documents should be submitted via InfoReady by Sunday December 1, 2024.

Can nomination packages be submitted earlier than the deadline?
Yes! We encourage early submissions.

To whom should the letters of support be addressed?
Research Leadership Council

What constitutes ”evidence of successful mentorship”?
Evidence of successful mentorship could include the impact of a mentee’s achievements, mentee participation during GW Research Days, the number of PhD dissertations advised, etc.

Selection Questions

Will the nominator/nominee be notified of the decision?
Nominators will be notified a few weeks before the Annual Faculty Honors Ceremony whether their nominee has been selected as the awardee. If the nominee has been selected as the awardee, the nominee will be notified directly.

How will the honoree be recognized?
The honorees will be invited to the Annual Faculty Honors Ceremony, hosted by the Office of the Provost, during the spring semester.