Distinguished Scientist Award  NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN

In 2006, the Board of Trustees established two SURA Distinguished Service Awards: the Distinguished Scientist Award* and the Distinguished Friend of Science Award*.  These are presented to individuals who have worked to support the SURA mission "to foster excellence in scientific research, to strengthen the scientific and technical capabilities of the Southeast and nation, and to provide outstanding training opportunities for the next generation of scientists and engineers." (Awards come with a cash honorarium.)

    
SURA presented its 2011 Distinguished Scientist Award to Richard Adams (center) of the University of South Carolina on March 15, 2011 in Blacksburg, VA. 
(See Press Release.)     [L to R] Jerry P. Draayer, SURA President & CEO; Charles Steger, SURA Council of Presidents Chair and President of Virginia Tech;
Adams; John Noftsinger, SURA Relations Committee Chair & Vice Provost, James Madison University; and Jim Siedow,
SURA Board of Trustees Chair & Vice Provost for Research, Duke University.

* * *   2012 SURA Distinguished Scientist Award Nomination Process & Timeline   * * *

The Development & Relations Committee will solicit and screen nominations, and select the recipient of the award with its $20,000 honorarium for presentation at SURA's Spring Board of Trustees meeting.  Past award recipients are invited to participate in the balloting.  The following guidelines will govern the nomination process:

(1) Only SURA Board of Trustees and Council of Presidents members are eligible to submit a nomination (limited to one nomination per SURA member institution.)

(2) All nomination materials must be submitted in electronic form and directed to the SURA Chief Operating Officer, who will support the Committees' work, at award@sura.org.

(3) The nomination period will close on Friday, December 30, 2011 at 5 p.m. EST, to insure adequate time for committee deliberation and advance notification of the recipient.

(4) Nomination materials should include:

• A concise letter of nomination on the qualifications of the nominee from the trustee or president, which includes contact information for the nominee;
• A comprehensive and up-to-date curriculum vitae or biographical sketch of the nominee; and
• Up to five additional letters of endorsement of a nominee, limited to 2 pages each. (Letters from outside the institution are particularly desirable.)

(5) Preference will be given to a scientist who resides, and has performed the majority of his/her research, at a SURA member institution or facility and whose activities have also had impact beyond his/her institutional boundaries. The committee will be mindful of both past institutional and gender representation with respect to previous awardees, in considering the 2012 award.

(6) No Board of Trustee member within the past two years, nor previous recipients, will be eligible for the Distinguished Scientist Award. No nomination from a previous year can be considered unless re-nominated.

NEWS Fall 2006: Senator Alexander Honored with "Friend of Science" Award
NEWS Spring 2007: UGA Biologist, Wessler, Named SURA Distinguished Scientist
NEWS Fall 2007: Senator Warner Awarded "Friend of Science" by SURA
NEWS Spring 2008: U of FL Microbiologist Named SURA Distinguished Scientist
NEWS Spring 2009: SURA Names U of TX Chemist "Distinguished Scientist"
NEWS Fall 2009: Augustine Honored with Friend of Science Award
NEWS Spring 2010: UT Austin Professor Named SURA Distinguished Scientist
NEWS Fall 2010: SURA to Honored Former Governor Robb
NEWS Spring 2011: U of SC Chemist Named SURA Distinguished Scientist
NEWS Fall 2011: SURA to Honor Former NSF Director, White House Science Advisor

*  SURA Distinguished Friend of Science Award – (To be presented at the Fall 2011 Board of Trustees meeting, selected by the SURA Executive Committee)  Presented to an individual whose extraordinary efforts fulfill the SURA mission of strengthening “the scientific and technical capabilities of the Southeast and nation.”  This award is to be presented to an individual whose extraordinary efforts in the private sector, or in a federal, state or local governmental capacity serve, or have served, to fulfill the SURA mission. The award comes with a $10,000 honorarium, which can be designated to a higher education charitable cause.

*  SURA Distinguished Scientist Award – (To be presented at SURA Spring 2012 Board of Trustees meeting hosted at a SURA member institution campus.)  Presented to a research scientist from a SURA member institution whose extraordinary work fulfills the SURA mission of fostering “excellence in scientific research.”  (Preference will be given to a scientist who has performed his/her research at a SURA member institution.)  No person may be eligible for the Distinguished Scientist Award who is/or has been a Board of Trustees member within the past two years.  The award comes with a $20,000 cash honorarium.