CALS Research and Extension Awards

CALS research and extension-based awards are intended to recognize a broad range of accomplishments contributing to the realization of the college’s mission and vision.

No single award can adequately capture the diverse achievements of CALS faculty; therefore, six distinct awards have been established.

Nominations will be solicited annually but the number and type of awards presented may vary depending on the qualifications of the available pool. The Service, Career, and Early Achievement Awards are intended only for individuals.

All other awards are intended for individuals or teams. A team nomination should describe an interactive group of individuals who carry out jointly planned and collaboratively executed research and/or extension programming, not simply an administratively defined compilation of individual programs.

For team awards, nominations may include individuals of professorial and extension and research associate ranks who are integral to the team, as well as support staff (not students) whose job is primarily dedicated to the team’s efforts.

The Service, Career, and Early Achievement Awards are intended only for individuals. All other awards are intended for individuals or teams.

Recent awardees portal

Search on awardees from the past 5 years by last name, by year, or by award name on this Smartsheet.

Review former award winners

How to Nominate Your Colleagues

To nominate colleagues for any one of the CALS Research and Extension Awards, please provide the following documentation. Page limits must be adhered to.

Note: Previous individual awardees are not eligible to be considered for another award for a period of three years after their most recent award date (however, team awardees may be considered for an individual award).

A nominating statement (maximum of three pages) that responds to the criteria specific to the award(s). Note that nominations will be evaluated by faculty from a broad range of disciplines. As such, disciplinary jargon should be avoided.
A CV (maximum of three pages) including relevant research and/or extension/outreach publications (CVs are required for all team members on team nominations). Please attach an explanation to the CV describing the disciplinary standards for authorship on publications and the level of competitiveness/exclusiveness of any awards highlighted as part of the nomination.
A maximum of three letters of support (may include letters from stakeholders). Support letters should focus on adding perspective to the nomination, not restating accomplishments and recognitions.

Full descriptions of the CALS Research and Extension Awards are outlined on this page.

These awards are an excellent way to recognize the many contributions of your colleagues. Please take a few moments to consider which of your colleagues should be recognized.

Nomination materials should be submitted online as a single document. Updates to previous nominations may be submitted as a separate single document addendum to the originally submitted nomination package, or the entire package may be updated and submitted as a single new document.

Nominations

Nominating statement, letters of support, plus a 3-page CV (or multiple such CVs for a team nomination).

Submit your nomination

Award Descriptions

CALS Outstanding Accomplishments in Research Award

This award recognizes outstanding contributions to research, including everything from solving critical problems facing New York state, the region or beyond to contributions to knowledge, understanding, and theory at the disciplinary level. Multiple awards may be given out, specifically chosen to recognize contributions along the spectrum from the most foundational discoveries to their applications.

Eligibility

Candidates for this award will have demonstrated effectiveness in integrating research and extension and applying scientific expertise to a need that has resulted in positive impacts to many people and/or to a large geographic area; or will have been recognized nationally and internationally for their scholarly contributions through publication in disciplinary journals or awards from professional societies; or any combination thereof. Examples could include leading an assessment of specific environmental risks, development of a new practice that solves a pressing agricultural or environmental problem, development of community policies to resolve conflicts, research on the molecular biology of a plant pathogen resulting in improved understanding of fundamental aspects of pathogen biology, or fundamental discoveries in molecular, cellular, or organismal biology. Candidates should stand out among peers based on one or two key factors in their research program.

Individuals of professorial rank and extension and research associates in CALS may be nominated to receive this award.

CALS Outstanding Accomplishments in Extension/Outreach Award

Candidates for this award have demonstrated leadership in developing a highly innovative and responsive extension/outreach program that addresses stakeholder needs. Extension/outreach encompasses a broad range of non-credit education and training programs.

Eligibility

It is expected that the extension/outreach program will have demonstrated effectiveness in benefiting a significant segment of the population or an important area of the state. Examples could include a program for the implementation of a management model for enterprises with resulting environmental benefits for all citizens, the implementation of an improved educational program in New York schools, or workforce training that improves worker well-being and employer profitability. Individuals of professorial rank and extension and research associates may be nominated to receive this award.

CALS Outstanding Accomplishments in Science & Public Policy Award

Candidates for this award have demonstrated innovation and leadership by integrating science-based knowledge into public policy and/or management. Such integration requires the development of relationships between scientists and policymakers based on trust and confidence in the integrity of scientific findings.

Eligibility

Examples of such work might include collaboration in the establishment of science-based regulatory criteria directed at addressing an environmental issue or advice for the development of legislation that includes scientific standards. Individuals of professorial rank and extension and research associates may be nominated to receive this award.

CALS Early Achievement Award

This award recognizes individuals who have shown extraordinary leadership and/or scholarship in applied or basic research, extension, outreach, integration of science-based knowledge into public policy, or service to the college and university during the initial years of their career and of their time at Cornell.

Eligibility

Nominations focused on a single area or a combination of areas of excellence will be considered. Examples could include building and leading a multidisciplinary team that effectively addresses a major issue facing the state, region, or world through research alone or in combination with extension and outreach, or extraordinary accomplishments in any of the designated areas that establishes the individual as a national leader among peers. Assistant and associate professors and extension and research associates may be nominated to receive this award anytime during their first five years in the college and their first ten years after attaining their terminal degree.

CALS Outstanding Service to the CALS Community Award

Candidates for this award have demonstrated leadership in a specific role such as a chair, or leader of a task force or program. Examples of specific roles include the enhancement of departmental/unit recognition through increased scholarly achievements within or across disciplines, development of new strategic directions for CALS resulting from the efforts of a task force, or exceptional leadership in administration.

Eligibility

Candidates being recognized for service accomplishments should have sustained exemplary efforts throughout their time in the role and should be widely recognized for this by their CALS peers. Candidates may have advanced the CALS Land-Grant mission through scholarship, extension and outreach, and/or administration. Individuals of professorial rank and extension and research associates may be nominated to receive this award.

CALS Career Accomplishment Award

Candidates for this award have achieved widespread recognition nationally and within CALS for their scholarly accomplishments, teaching, leadership, service to their discipline, and/or application/extension of knowledge in the biological, physical, or social sciences.

Eligibility

This award recognizes sustained accomplishments throughout the candidate’s career, and is a capstone for individuals who have achieved extraordinary distinction for their scholarly efforts in research and/or extension. Individuals of professorial rank and extension and research associates who are nearing retirement may be nominated to receive this award.