Faculty and Staff Excellence Awards
Annual Call for Nominations: 2020 CLAS Excellence Awards
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is proud to announce its annual call for nominations for the CLAS Excellence Awards. These awards are the highest honor given by the College and are selected by a committee of peers.
In 2020, awards will be given in three categories: Faculty Excellence in Teaching; Staff Excellence; and Diversity, Inclusion, and Equality Team Excellence. The deadline for the submission of nomination materials is Friday, March 13, 2020.
Nomination Instructions
I. Faculty Excellence Awards
This award honors tenured, tenure-track or non-tenure-track individuals who have excelled at teaching both inside and outside the classroom. Relevant activities can include working with undergraduate students, advising graduate students, engagement in community outreach, promoting innovative pedagogy, designing new courses, utilizing novel forms of technology, and fostering an inclusive learning environment.
Up to four teaching awards across the College will be given this year. The previous requirement for nominees to apply in particular divisional categories no longer exists. The competition is open to CLAS faculty at all UConn campuses.
Recipients will be recognized at the spring undergraduate commencement exercises and at the spring CLAS College-Wide Celebration. In addition, each recipient will receive $1,000 to support teaching initiatives and activities.
To apply, nominators or self-nominators should submit:
- A 500-word statement describing their pedagogy, teaching significance, and its impact
- One letter of reference from their department head or affiliated institute director within the College
- One additional letter of reference from a faculty member, student, or alum
- The nominee’s current CV
II. Staff Excellence Awards
The Staff Excellence Awards honor individual staff across the College for their contributions to the mission of the College and its departments, centers, institutes, and programs. Staff from all campuses and in all job descriptions are encouraged to apply. Up to two awards will be given.
Recipients will receive $500 in professional development funds and will be honored at the CLAS College Celebration.
To apply, nominators or self-nominators should submit:
- A 500-word statement describing the nominee’s impact on their unit and/or the College
- One letter of reference from their department head or affiliated center, institute, or program director within the College
- One additional letter of reference from a faculty member, staff member, student, or alum
III. Diversity, Inclusion and Equality Team Awards
The CLAS Award for Diversity, Inclusion, and Equality recognizes a team of two or more CLAS faculty, staff, and/or students who have worked together on projects within the College that promote a more inclusive campus environment. Teams can be interdisciplinary and may involve faculty, staff, students and/or alumni.
The recipient group will receive $1000 in funds to further their diversity projects. They will also be recognized at the CLAS College Celebration.
To apply, nominators or self-nominators should submit:
- A 500-word statement describing the group’s diversity impact on their unit and/or the College
- One letter of reference from a faculty member in the College
- One additional letter of reference from a faculty member, staff member, student, or alum
The deadline for the submission of materials is Friday, March 13, 2020. Application materials and questions should be sent electronically to clas@uconn.edu.
About Our Awards
Each year, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences honors its outstanding faculty and staff with a range of awards. In alternating years, the College awards Faculty Excellence in Research and Faculty Excellence in Teaching awards. The recipients of Excellence in Research awards are honored for a research program that has gained national and international distinction and impact in their field of study and/or in the public sphere (Public Scholarship category). Excellence in Teaching Award recipients have displayed a commitment to innovative and exceptional pedagogy.
Many recipients of CLAS faculty awards have gone on to be honored as Board of Trustees Distinguished Professors, the University’s highest academic honor.
In 2015, the College established annual Staff Excellence Awards to honor individuals who support College departments, centers, and programs. Recipients bring excellence and innovation to their work and help to promote the CLAS mission in social justice and group equality categories.
The College's Diversity, Inclusion, and Equality Awards have been given to groups and individuals that work within the College to promote a more inclusive and equitable local, national, or global society.
Past Recipients
2019
Faculty Excellence in Research
Harry van der Hulst, Linguistics
Bandana Purkayastha, Sociology
David Knecht, Molecular and Cell Biology
Norah Berrah, Physics
Rebecca Puhl, Human Development and Family Studies - Public Scholarship category
Diversity, Inclusion, and Equality
Chris Vials, English - Social Justice category
Staff Excellence
Stephanie Beron, Geography
Ashley Orcutt, Chemistry
2018
Faculty Excellence in Teaching
Rory McGloin, Communication
Laura Donorfio, Human Development and Family Studies
Amit Savkar, Mathematics
Diversity, Inclusion, and Equality
Jane Gordon, Political Science - Social Justice category
CLAS Student Leadership Board - Diversity, Inclusion and Equality category
Staff Excellence
Bri Diaz, Dean’s Office
Cindy Stewart, Communication
2017
Faculty Excellence in Research
Matthew Hughey, Sociology
Letitia Naigles, Psychological Sciences
Gerald Dunne, Physics
Cathy Schlund-Vials, English and Asian and Asian American Studies Institute
Staff Excellence
Fe Delos-Santos, Asian and Asian American Studies Institute
Heather Parker, History
2016
Faculty Excellence in Teaching
Stephen Dyson, Political Science
George Gibson, Physics
Etan Markus, Psychological Sciences
Staff Excellence
Carla Gomez, Human Development and Family Studies
Carol Valone, Psychological Sciences
2015
Faculty Excellence in Research
Jc Beall, Philosophy
Richard Langlois, Economics
Akiko Nishiyama, Physiology and Neurobiology
Ralf Schiffler, Mathematics
Staff Excellence
Jessica Muirhead, History
Anne St. Onge, Biology Central Services
2014
Faculty Excellence in Teaching
Sam Best, Political Science
David Miller, Psychology
Fred Roden, English
2013
Faculty Excellence in Research
Blair Johnson, Psychology
Patrick Hogan, English
Ming-Hui Chen, Statistics
Mark Boyer, Political Science
2012
Faculty Excellence in Teaching
Shareen Hertel, Political Science
Holly Fitch, Psychology
Rachael Lynch, English
2011
Faculty Excellence in Research
Michael Lynch, Philosophy
Nancy Naples, Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Mike Willig, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Steve Suib, Chemistry
2010
Faculty Excellence in Teaching
Margaret Breen, English
Nicholas Leadbeater, Chemisty
Rachel O’Neill, Molecular and Cell Biology
Kim Price-Glynn, Sociology
2009
Faculty Excellence in Research
Mary M. Burke, English
Donald H. Les, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
James F. Rusling, Chemistry
Stephen L. Ross, Economics