Excellence Award for Community Research

The Wichita State University Excellence Award for Community Research is made annually to a WSU faculty member who has established an exemplary and demonstrable record of scholarship extended to external constituents resulting in a significant outcome for individuals, organizations, or communities in problem solving or development.

All full-time faculty, including distinguished professors and endowed chairs, who have served at WSU for at least three years are eligible. Faculty who hold an administrative position above that of Chair are not eligible. Previous winners of the award are ineligible to be nominated for a period of five years following the award. Preference is given to those who have not received any awards in the last five years; however, all eligible faculty may still be considered.

All full- and part-time faculty members are eligible to make nominations on the form below, based upon one or more of the following criteria:

1. The nominee is involved in research that directly and measurably benefits a community group or organization or the general public in an area such as, but not limited to, social service, health, substance abuse, public policy, child development, or aging and that results in tangible intellectual products. Examples of such products include refereed journal articles, oral presentations at conferences, formulation of organizational, economic, or educational policies, and the design or creation of performances, compositions or other works of art that positively affect the health and wellbeing of the community.
2. The nominee is particularly effective in forming partnerships with community organizations to address problems and to secure support for their community research activities
3. The nominee has won awards or has been recognized for the quality or applicability of his or her scholarship by government or private agencies, professional organizations, businesses and industries, including local entities of these types.
4. The nominee has supported the mission of the University by providing leadership for a WSU community research center or initiative, coordinating multi-investigator community research projects or proposals, mentoring new faculty members relative to community research, contributing to efforts that promote community research on campus or in the department, or writing or speaking of the benefits of community research and service to society.
5. The nomination package for this award may include evidence from the last 5 years.

STEP 1: Nominator must complete the 5-question nomination form prior to the nomination deadline.

STEP 2: Nominees will be contacted by the Office of Research with instructions for submitting a nomination package. This package must be submitted as a single, combined PDF and should include at least:

• Complete curriculum vitae
• Delineation of nominee’s role in multi-authored works (the role and level of contribution to these works)
• Evidence of impact of Community Research (citations, reviews, inclusion in professional discussion or debate in the field, etc.)
• Three letters of support, speaking to the criteria above, from on- and/or off-campus colleagues.

Excluding support letters and nomination form, additional materials are limited to a maximum of 25 pages.

Please Note:

1. Nominees only include materials in their nomination packages for last 5 years. The Curriculum Vitae can include information from more than 5 years.
2. Incomplete applications are not eligible for review.
3. Nominees are only permitted to submit nomination packages for one category even if they are nominated for more than one category.

1. Excellence nominations due to Office of Research by December 5, 2025
2. The Faculty Support Committee will review nominations and recommend one candidate to the Provost.
3. The award will be announced in the spring.