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President’s Scholar Awards

UTHealth Houston
President’s Scholar Award for Excellence in Research
President’s Scholar Award for Excellence in Teaching
President’s Scholar Award for Excellence in Clinical Service
GUIDELINES 

Eligibility and General Criteria: 

  • President’s Scholar Awards are intended to recognize distinguished achievements of faculty members accomplished primarily at UTHealth Houston;
  • All faculty with a minimum of 10 years of service at UTHealth are eligible; and
  • Nominees are full-time faculty members at UTHealth Houston — at the minimum Associate Professor, but typically full Professor rank.

Criteria for Selection:
The President’s Scholar Awards are unique university-wide awards designed to recognize faculty with the highest level of demonstrated contributions in teaching, research, or clinical service activity, throughout their careers at UTHealth Houston. Nominees and recipients are widely recognized by peers and students for outstanding achievements in these areas. Evidence of such esteem includes, but is not limited to, the following, with special consideration given to a history of distinguished achievements:

 President's Scholar Award for Excellence in Research

  • Extent of research activities
  • Research quality and importance, impact of scientific work
  • Productivity, extramural grants, and peer-reviewed publications
  • Peer recognition at the local, national, and international level
  • Contributions while at UTHealth Houston
  • Other pertinent research activities

 President's Scholar Award for Excellence in Teaching

  • Extent of teaching activities
  • Published works in teaching
  • Innovative online and digital teaching tools
  • Innovation in pedagogy
  • Teaching-related mentoring activities
  • Peer recognition at the local, national, and international level
  • Peer and student recognition of teaching
  • Teaching-related presentation materials
  • Achievements of students and trainees
  • Other pertinent teaching activities

President's Scholar Award for Clinical Service

  • Innovation in practice, development of new and/or unique clinical programs
  • Peer recognition at the local, national, and international level
  • Exemplary dedication to patient care
  • Evidence of impactful outreach and service to the lay community
  • Leadership in collaborative interprofessional teamwork
  • Other pertinent clinical activities

Nomination Process:
Nominations for the awards may be made by any member of the UTHealth Houston community. There is no limit on the number of nominations that may be submitted. Nominations and supporting materials should be submitted electronically to the UTHealth Houston Office of Faculty Affairs and Development at [email protected].

  • Students must submit nominations through the dean’s office of their school, and the dean’s office will assist the student with nomination documentation and forward the nomination packet electronically to the Office of Faculty Affairs and Development at [email protected].

The nomination packet should contain a detailed statement from the nominator of the nature, quality, and importance of the accomplishments, along with the following materials:

  • A detailed statement from the nominee of the nature and importance of the accomplishments to be recognized; 
  • A complete curriculum vitae with bibliography; 
  • Two recommendation letters from UTHealth Houston-affiliated individuals (e.g., students, former students, colleagues, etc.); and 
  • Other documents as deemed useful.

Nominations and supporting documentation are due to the Office of Faculty Affairs and Development ([email protected]) no later than 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6.

Selection Process:
The President’s Scholar Awards Selection Committee (“Committee”) includes the associate vice president for Faculty Affairs and Development, select past President’s Scholar Award recipients, and may include a representative appointed by the dean of each UTHealth Houston school. The committee reviews the nominations before the honorees are recommended to UTHealth Houston President Giuseppe N. Colasurdo, MD. The president makes the final determination, and the Office of Faculty Affairs and Development will notify the awardees.

Award Guidelines:
In addition to recommending awardees to the president, the committee is charged with ongoing review of procedures and standards to regulate all areas of the selection process and recommending any changes to the president through the associate vice president for Faculty Affairs and Development.

Nature of Award:
President’s Scholar Award recipients will receive a $10,000 prize.

In addition to the monetary award, the recipients will also receive an appropriate commemorative plaque. The president of UTHealth Houston or a representative will announce and present the awards at an annual event. The president will also bestow the continuing honorary title of “President’s Scholar” to the award recipients.

 LIST OF AWARDEES BY FISCAL YEAR