Award Descriptions

• Outstanding Faculty Award

  Number Awarded: One (1)

  Summary
  
  The College of Human Medicine Outstanding Faculty Award recognizes a faculty member of the College of Human Medicine (CHM) for exceptional service and achievement in teaching, research or scholarly activity, clinical service, and public outreach. This award honors individuals whose sustained contributions reflect the highest standards of excellence and advance the missions of the college and Michigan State University.
  
  Criteria

  The nominee must demonstrate:

  • Exceptional instructional performance across a variety of settings including professional, graduate, and undergraduate education, curriculum development, innovative instructional materials, teaching-related scholarship, and academic advising; and
  • Exceptional research, creative or scholarly activity, demonstrated through discovery, synthesis, interpretation, or application of knowledge, OR exceptional clinical service; and
  • Exceptional public outreach achievement at the local, national, or international level that draws upon the nominee’s professional expertise; and
  • Evidence of additional contributions to Michigan State University, including academic administration or governance, which may be considered but shall not constitute primary criteria.

  Generally, nominees have at least five (5) years of service at Michigan State University.

  Eligibility

  To be eligible, the nominee must:

  • Hold a faculty appointment in the tenure system, health programs (HP), fixed-term (FT), or academic specialist system within the CHM; and
  • Be nominated by a present or former CHM faculty member, student, or resident.

  
  For nominees selected for the CHM Outstanding Faculty Award, and upon recommendation of the CHM Awards Subcommittee, the nominator may submit a nomination packet on the nominee’s behalf for consideration for the university-level William J. Beal Outstanding Faculty Award. Recipients of the university-level award are recognized at the annual All-University Awards Ceremony.
• Teacher-Scholar Award

  Number Awarded: Two (2)

  • One (1) award to a faculty member in the tenure system or health programs (HP) system who may be eligible for nomination to the MSU Teacher-Scholar Award.
  • One (1) award to a faculty member in the fixed-term (FT) or academic specialist system who is not eligible for the MSU Teacher-Scholar Award.

  Summary

  The Teacher-Scholar Award recognizes junior faculty members of the college who, through achievements in the early stages of their academic careers at MSU, demonstrate exceptional promise as future distinguished faculty. This award honors individuals who have earned the respect of students and colleagues through excellence in teaching and scholarly potential.

  
  Criteria

  The nominee must demonstrate:

  • Instructional effectiveness, as evidenced by meaningful impact on student learning; and
  • Use of innovative teaching techniques or approaches; and
  • Clear scholarly promise; and
  • Engagement in public service or outreach activities.

  
  Eligibility

  To be eligible, the nominee must:

  • Hold the rank of assistant professor or associate professor in the tenure system; or
  • Hold an appointment in the health programs (HP) system; or
  • Hold an appointment in the fixed-term system; or
  • Hold an appointment in the academic specialist system; and
  • Have completed at least two (2) academic semesters of faculty service at Michigan State University, but no more than seven (7) academic years, at the beginning of the award period; and
  • Have no more than ten (10) years of employment experience of all kinds since receipt of the terminal degree applicable to the discipline.

  Postdoctoral appointments are not counted toward the employment-experience limit.

  For nominees selected for the CHM Teacher-Scholar Award, and upon recommendation of the CHM Awards Subcommittee, the nominator may submit a nomination packet on the nominee’s behalf for consideration for the university-level Teacher-Scholar Award. Recipients of the university-level award are recognized at the annual All-University Awards Ceremony.
  
  

• Excellence in Teaching Award

  Number Awarded: One (1)

  Summary
  
  The Excellence in Teaching Award recognizes faculty members who exemplify sustained commitment to excellence in teaching throughout their careers at MSU. This award honors individuals who have earned the respect of students and colleagues through demonstrated instructional skill, dedication, and educational leadership.
  
  Criteria

  The nominee must demonstrate:

  • Exceptional instructional performance in a variety of settings including professional, graduate, and undergraduate education; and
  • Significant contributions to curriculum development, innovative course material, teaching-related scholarships or grants, and academic advising; and
  • Evidence of effective mentoring and advising of students and student organizations.

  
  Eligibility

  To be eligible, the nominee must:

  • Be engaged in teaching within the CHM; and
  • Hold an appointment in the tenure system, health programs (HP), fixed-term (FT) system, or academic specialist system at any career stage.
• Outstanding Clinician Award

  Number Awarded: One (1)

  Summary
  
  The Outstanding Clinician Award recognizes a faculty member who exemplifies excellence in clinical practice and serves as a role model for learners and colleagues within the CHM. This award honors clinicians whose professional conduct and patient care reflect the core values of the college.
  
  Criteria

  The nominee must exemplify the professional responsibilities defining the CHM Virtuous Professional, including:

  • Competence;
  • Honesty;
  • Compassion;
  • Respect for others;
  • Professional responsibility; and
  • Social responsibility.

  
  Eligibility

  To be eligible, the nominee must:

  • Hold a faculty appointment in the tenure, health programs (HP), fixed-term (FT),or academic specialist system within the CHM; and
  • Be a clinician who performs clinical services for or on behalf of MSU; and
  • Receive endorsement from the department or unit in which the faculty appointment resides; and
  • Be nominated by a CHM faculty member (students, residents, clinical colleagues, and/or patients may be co-nominators).
• Outstanding Community-Based Academic Faculty Award

  Number Awarded: One (1)

  Summary
  
  The Outstanding Community-Based Academic Faculty Award recognizes a community-based faculty member who has made significant and sustained academic contributions to the College of Human Medicine. This award honors individuals who demonstrate excellence in teaching, research, and/or service and who maintain an ongoing academic role while holding a primary professional appointment outside of Michigan State University.
  
  Criteria

  The nominee must demonstrate:

  • Excellence in teaching, research, or service; and
  • Sustained and substantive academic engagement with the College of Human Medicine beyond episodic teaching activities; and
  • Contributions that advance the college’s educational, scholarly, or service missions.

  
  Eligibility

  To be eligible, the nominee must:

  • Hold a current CHM faculty appointment; and
  • Not be employed directly by MSU but hold an MSU appointment in the Non-prefix system OR if employed by MSU, the MSU appointment must be less than 50%; and
  • Serve in a community-based academic faculty role with ongoing scholarly, educational, or programmatic responsibilities. Provide sustained contributions in a community-based academic role.

• Outstanding Volunteer Clinical Faculty Award

  Number Awarded: One (1)

  Summary
  
  The Outstanding Volunteer Clinical Faculty Award recognizes a volunteer clinical faculty member who has made sustained and exceptional contributions to the educational mission of the College of Human Medicine through uncompensated service. This award honors individuals whose commitment, professionalism, and instructional excellence significantly enhance learner education in community-based settings.
  
  Criteria

  The nominee must demonstrate:

  • Excellence in teaching, research, or service; and
  • Sustained, high-quality service to the College of Human Medicine’s educational programs; and
  • Consistent professional conduct that reflects positively on the college and its mission.

  
  Eligibility

  To be eligible, the nominee must:

  • Hold a current CHM clinical or adjunct (non-paid/volunteer) faculty appointment in the Prefix system; and
  • Receive no compensation, directly or indirectly, from MSU for teaching or educational services; and
  • Provide educational contributions primarily in a community-based setting.
• Junior Faculty Mentoring Award

  Number Awarded: One (1)

  Summary
  
  The Junior Faculty Mentoring Award recognizes a faculty member who has demonstrated excellence in mentoring junior faculty and has provided sustained, effective guidance throughout their academic career development. This award honors mentors who place the professional and personal well-being of their mentees at the forefront of the mentoring relationship.
  
  Criteria

  The candidate must have demonstrated excellence in mentoring junior faculty. The following criteria are to be addressed in nominations:

  1. . Excellence in professional development mentoring, including serving as a role model and resource for research, teaching and instructional navigation; assisting in the expansion of professional networks; and supporting recognition of the mentee’s work; and
  2. Respect for the mentee as a whole individual, demonstrated through encouragement of a healthy balance between professional responsibilities and personal wellbeing, and the use of appropriate university support resources.

  
  Eligibility

  To be eligible, the nominee must:

  • Hold a faculty appointment in the tenure, health programs (HP), fixed-term (FT), or academic specialist system within the CHM.
• Early Career Research Excellence Award

  Number Awarded: Three (3)
  (one award designated to a physician-scientist and two to basic scientists)

  Summary
  
  The Early Career Research Excellence Award recognizes early career faculty members who have demonstrated notable success in basic science, clinical, epidemiological, or translational research. Particular consideration is given to nominees whose work has enhanced the research stature of the college.
  
  Criteria

  The nominee must demonstrate:

  • Research accomplishments of significant scope and quality, including external funding and scholarly publications; and
  • Productivity and impact in proportion to the nominee’s allotted effort allocation for scholarly activity.

  
  Eligibility

  To be eligible, the nominee must:

  • Be no more than ten (10) years beyond their first junior faculty (assistant professor or specialist) appointment at CHM MSU; and
  • Hold an appointment in the tenure, health programs (HP), fixed-term (FT), or academic specialist system; and
  • Not hold the terminal rank in their appointment system.
• Research Excellence Award

  Number Awarded: Up to two (2) awards
  
  

  Summary

  The Research Excellence Award recognizes faculty members who have demonstrated sustained and distinguished achievement in basic science, clinical, epidemiological, or translational research. This award honors individuals whose scholarly work has achieved significant impact and enhanced the research stature of the college.
  
  Criteria

  The nominee must demonstrate:

  • A sustained and longitudinal record of research excellence, including scholarly publications, external funding, and national or international recognition; and
  • Research productivity and impact that are commensurate with the nominee’s allotted effort for scholarly activity within their faculty appointment.

  
  Eligibility

  To be eligible, the nominee must:

  • Hold a faculty appointment within the College of Human Medicine; and
  • Demonstrate sustained research accomplishment over the course of a career.

  This award is not intended for early career faculty.

• Outstanding Curriculum Contribution Award

  Number Awarded: Two (2)

  Summary
  
  The Outstanding Curriculum Contribution Award recognizes faculty members in the CHM who have made innovative or exceptional contributions to the development, enhancement, or implementation of the college’s curriculum.
  
  Criteria

  The nominee must demonstrate:

  • Innovation and/or excellence in curriculum design, development, or delivery; and
  • Evidence of positive impact on learner outcomes, as reflected through student feedback, performance measures, or other appropriate indicators.

  
  Eligibility

  To be eligible, the nominee must:

  • Hold a faculty appointment in the College of Human Medicine; and
  • Be appointed in any faculty appointment system and at any academic rank.
• Lester J. Evans, MD, CHM Distinguished Service Award

  Number Awarded: One (1)

  Summary
  
  The Lester J. Evans, MD, Distinguished Service Award recognizes individuals who have made major, enduring contributions to the development and advancement of the College of Human Medicine. This award honors service and leadership of exceptional breadth and lasting impact on the college and is chosen by the dean.
  
  Criteria

  The nominee must demonstrate:

  • Accomplishments and impact consistent with a standard of lifetime achievement; and
  • Sustained contributions that have significantly shaped the college’s programs, culture, governance, or community partnerships.

  
  Eligibility

  To be eligible, the nominee must:

  • Be a current or former faculty (tenure, health programs [HP], fixed-term [FT], or academic specialist system) or staff member of the College of Human Medicine.
• Distinguished Academic Specialist Award

  Number Awarded: One (1)

  Summary
  
  The Distinguished Academic Specialist Award recognizes the outstanding achievements of academic specialists who provide significant and sustained contributions to the College of Human Medicine and MSU. This award honors individuals whose work in advising, curriculum development, teaching, outreach, research, and administrative and institutional service exemplifies excellence and advances the mission and values of the college.
  
  Criteria

  The nominee must demonstrate:

  • A sustained record of excellence and widely recognized contributions within an academic unit in one or more of the following areas: advising, curriculum development, teaching, outreach, research, and/or administrative and institutional service; and
  • Innovative and creative contributions, individually or as part of a team, promote excellence and support the mission of the university, including related administrative or programmatic involvement, where applicable.

  
  Eligibility

  To be eligible, the nominee must:

  • Hold an academic specialist appointment in the College of Human Medicine; and
  • Have a minimum of ten (10) years of continuous service in such an appointment.

  
  For nominees selected for the CHM Distinguished Academic Specialist Award, and upon recommendation of the CHM Awards Subcommittee, the nominator may submit a nomination packet on the nominee’s behalf for consideration for the university-level Distinguished Academic Staff/Specialist Award. Recipients of the university-level award are recognized at the annual All-University Awards Ceremony.