NSM Faculty/Staff Newsletter

From the Office of the Dean

NSM Faculty Award Opportunities - APPLY NOW!

There are three NSM-level Faculty Award opportunities for the 2021-2022 academic year. Please read through the opportunities below and consider applying and/or being nominated, as appropriate. These are competitive opportunities, but you cannot win if you are not a candidate! In all cases, the winners will be expected to participate in an NSM commencement during which their achievement(s) will be honored.

LAST CALL - Please email Jim Briggs (Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, jbriggs@uh.edu) to notify the intention to compete for the Butler Teaching Excellence and/or the Excellence in Service Award programs. The deadlines for providing notice has been moved to the LAST DAY of FEBRUARY. Please inform us right away if you will be nominated! If we do not have enough candidates in each category, we may have to take a pause this year.

The deadline for nominations for the Junior Faculty Award for Excellence in Research is due FEBRUARY 21, 2022. Department chairs received the nomination form in late January.

John C. Butler Excellence in Teaching Award

The John C. Butler Excellence in Teaching Award recognizes faculty in NSM, who have demonstrated outstanding accomplishments in teaching and a track record of dedication to the teaching mission of NSM. Typically, two awards are made yearly: one to a tenured/tenure-track faculty member and one to an instructional faculty member. Selection of an awardee in either of the categories is contingent upon receipt of no less than three competitive applications in said category. In addition to formal classroom or lab teaching, tenured/tenure-track faculty members may also be evaluated on the basis of their graduate student training. Each award comes with a $5,000 check and a plaque. The award recipients are also recognized as part of the platform party during NSM Commencement in May.

Deadlines

The process starts with the call for applications which is emailed to all NSM faculty members in early January. Potential applicants for this award are required to email Jim Briggs, jbriggs@uh.edu, no later than 5 p.m. CST on Monday, February 28, 2022, of their intention to apply. Those interested in applying will be provided further instructions and deadlines. Completed applications are due on Wednesday, March 16. NOTE: Previous winners cannot be considered again until five years after receipt of the award.

Nomination/Application Procedure

See the award webpage for complete details. In brief, applicants/nominees must submit a CV (3 pages max), teaching statement, course evaluations for all courses taught in the prior 3 years, and arrange for 5 supportive letters.

NSM Junior Faculty Award for Excellence in Research

The NSM Junior Faculty Award for Excellence in Research targets faculty at the rank of Assistant Professor who have demonstrated great potential in research and/or scholarship by virtue of the exceptional quality of their contributions. One award is given each year by NSM. The award comes with a $5,000 check and a plaque.

Deadlines

All nomination elements must be submitted by email to the NSM Office of Research, (nsm_research@uh.edu). Nominations are due no later than Monday February 21, 2022.

Nomination/Application Procedure

The process starts with a call for nominations which is emailed to NSM department chairs. Nominations should be limited to those individuals who are clearly exceptional. Eligible tenure-track faculty must have at least two (2) years of service at UH at the time of nomination. Nominations are limited to one per department in NSM. The nominator must be the chair of the department or the chair of the department’s awards committee. Nomination materials include a complete CV, nomination letter, and three letters from respected arms-length people outside of UH.

NSM Faculty Award for Excellence in Service

Faculty service is integral to faculty governance and excellence at UH and in NSM yet is often performed without formal recognition or reward. Through the Faculty Award for Excellence in Service, the College of NSM seeks nominations of faculty members who provide outstanding service to their Department, College, and/or University. These faculty members are expected to be exemplars of outstanding academic citizenship. One award of $5,000 will be made each year if at least three responsive applications are received. The winner will receive a plaque and will have their name added to a cumulative plaque displayed in the Dean’s Office.

Deadlines

The annual deadline is the last day of February. If that day falls on a weekend, nominations are due the first business day thereafter.

Nomination/Application Procedure

All nominations must be submitted using an online form. The nomination form requires a minimum of three letters of nomination where at least one must come from a UH faculty member. The letters should explain the nature, extent, and significance of the nominee’s record of extraordinary service to the unit and/or university. The following supporting documentation should also be submitted: the nominee’s CV; evidence of service, if available; and a two-page statement written by the nominee that describes their service. The primary nominator is responsible for collecting and uploading all required materials.