Presidential Career Research Award

The Presidential Career Research Award is Portland State University’s most prestigious honor for faculty engaged in research. It recognizes the career contributions of senior research faculty. Each recipient of this honor will receive an award and a $3,000 taxable honorarium.  

Selection Criteria 

• The faculty nominee must be a current employee of PSU or have retired within the past 12 months prior to submission, typically having achieved the rank of full professor.

• Nominees may be from any field of scholarship.

• Awardees will be selected based on the career-long significance and quality of their research or creative achievements, as distinct from service or teaching, including the length and impact of their service to PSU.

• Awardees will garner recognition from experts of national and international reputation outside of PSU, as indicated from letters or evaluations elicited from the contacts provided by nominators (see requirements below). 

• The review committee will also consider nominees' demonstrated commitment to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion at PSU and beyond.

• *The nominee will be available the evening of May 10, 2024, to accept the award if selected.

• *The nominee will be available for Research Week (May 6-10, 2024) to present a featured lecture pertinent to their field of study as part of Research Week.

The nomination packets of nominees not selected the previous year will automatically be included for consideration the following year, with letters of support from colleagues at outside institutions and other nomination materials carried forward by the RGS Awards Manager. Current CVs and/or updated primary letters of nomination may be submitted to update these nomination packets. Nominees not selected in two consecutive years must remain out of review for one selection cycle (one year) before regaining eligibility. 

* Award winners are typically asked to make themselves available in person and on campus for Research Week activities; however, PSU remains committed to observing all restrictions on gatherings imposed by health and safety restrictions should such restrictions apply.

Who May Submit Nominations

Any current PSU faculty member or senior academic administrator, such as a dean or department chair, from any PSU department or college may make nominations. Nominators should submit materials for only one candidate. Complete nominations via the 2024 Research Awards Nomination Form, submitting the nominee's name and contacts at outside institutions by Tuesday, October 24, 2023. and all other required materials by Monday, November 6, 2023.

Required Nomination Materials

The following materials should be submitted in support of nominations:

• Letter of Nomination (not to exceed 5 pages)
  This letter should clearly state the nominee’s name and provide a summary of the nominee’s relevant accomplishments, with particular attention to such issues as the impact of their contributions to the discipline through research or creative activities (please include citations or other recognition data), evidence of originality and creativity, and probable long-range significance or impact of their work. Not all members of the review committee will be experts in the nominee’s field; descriptions of contributions should be written with this in mind.

• Nominee’s Current Curriculum Vitae
  Provide a copy of the nominee’s current CV, in standard format, including a complete list of publications, awards, sponsored projects, and other forms of recognition by peers—international, national, and regional.

• List of (4) Contacts for External Letters of Support - due Tuesday, October 24, 2023.
  Provide a list of four recognized national or international experts and their contact information (including name, current email address, and phone number if available) in the nominee’s field from whom the review committee may request independent evaluations. The people listed should be familiar with the nominee’s work. The opinions of nationally and internationally recognized experts are most persuasive. Letters of recommendation are not to be included with the nominating letter; the RGS Awards Manager will solicit these from the contacts on the list provided.

Selection Process and Deadlines

• Name-only nomination due: Tuesday, October 24, 2023.

• List of four contacts, for RGS to request external letters of support from, due: Tuesday, October 24, 2023.

• Completed submissions (letter of nomination and nominee’s CV) must be due on or by: Monday, November 6, 2023.

• The awards selection committee will review all nominations completed and submitted on or by Monday, November 6, 2023.

• The committee will share their review of the candidates with the Vice President for Research & Graduate Studies.

• The Vice President for Research & Graduate Studies will submit the committee’s recommendations and their own to the President of the University, who will ultimately select the Presidential Career Research Award winner.

• Nominees will be notified well in advance of the award presentation at the Portland State Research Awards event, scheduled for Friday, May 10, 2024.

Recognition

• The recipient will be honored during Research Week events, May 6-10, 2024.

• The recipient will be asked to give the annual Presidential Career Research Lecture during Research Week.

Contacts at external institutions must be submitted by Tuesday, October 24, 2023, and all other required nomination materials must be submitted via the 2024 Research Awards Nomination Form by Monday, November 6, 2023, in order to be eligible for review (pdf format is preferred for all nomination materials).

For answers to questions about this award or the nomination process, please contact the RGS Awards Manager: Amy Crelly - acrelly@pdx.edu, 503-725-9944 or research@pdx.edu.