The Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs shall encourage Division Deans/Directors/Chairs to nominate excellent researchers for the Indiana University South Bend Distinguished Research Award. The criteria for "research and creative activities" listed in the "Faculty Promotions" section of the Indiana University Academic Handbook (2001, pp. 71-72) should be followed in defining research. Nomination of faculty for this award shall be an agenda item for the Academic Cabinet at the first meeting of each fall semester.
IU South Bend Distinguished Research Award
Any full-time Indiana University South Bend faculty member who has at least eight years of experience as an active researcher/scholar is eligible. Faculty members can nominate themselves or they can be nominated by any administrator or other faculty member. The nomination shall be in the form of a letter that explains the rationale for nomination along with a brief (not more than 2-page) outline of the faculty member’s research contributions. There is no limit on the number of candidates that can be nominated from any school/college. Nominations are due to the Contracts and Grants Coordinator by November 1 of each year. A list of suggested materials and a timetable for research portfolio completion will be provided to the nominator from the Contracts and Grants Coordinator.
The nominator shall have primary responsibility for assembling the candidate’s research portfolio with the exception of inclusion of solicited letters of reference. It is acceptable for the nominee to participate in preparing the portfolio. Solicited letters are to be requested by the nominee’s Division Dean/Director/Chair. Once the letters are received, they are to be sent to the Contracts and Grants Coordinator for inclusion in the research portfolio. Solicited letters are to remain confidential to the degree allowed by law.
The IU South Bend Research and Development Committee (R&D) will serve as the Selection Committee for the IU South Bend Distinguished Research Award. If a current member of the R&D Committee is nominated for the Research Award that member will not participate in the selection process. If necessary, alternates to the committee will be appointed by the Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs for the purpose of selection.
The following timetable is suggested for the award selection procedure:
- Reminder to Academic Cabinet (September/October).
- Nominations due to Contracts and Grants Coordinator (November 1)
- Creation of research portfolio | the Contracts and Grants Coordinator shall be available for consultation as necessary (November 1-January 15).
- Completed portfolio to Contracts and Grants Coordinator (January 16).
- Initial review by the Review Committee to create a short list if necessary.
- Recommendation made by Review Committee to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs (March 1)
- Award winner(s) shall be announced at the last Academic Senate meeting of the academic year.
- Public lecture, performance, or exhibition (September)
Consideration in Subsequent Years: Any research portfolios submitted for consideration for the IU South Bend Distinguished Research Award that are not selected as a winner will automatically be considered again the following year. The portfolio shall include additional documentation for the second year. After being considered for two successive years, the faculty member must be re-nominated to be considered again. Award winners shall not be eligible for future awards.
The award will recognize distinguished research by IU South Bend faculty and administrators. The winner of the award will be expected to present a public lecture, exhibition, or performance at the beginning of the next academic year.
The winner will receive a monetary award of $5,000 (less appropriate fringe benefits) as supplemental pay or in an IU South Bend account which can be used for research related expenses.
The Selection Committee shall consider nominations annually. The Selection Committee shall have the right not to grant an award if none of the candidates is deemed exceptional. The decisions of the Selection Committee are final and not subject to appeal.
The Selection Committee needs sufficient information to document the excellence of the candidate’s research. Since candidates will come from different disciplines, the kinds of materials to be included in the portfolio will vary. It is especially important that nominators be aware that most committee members are likely to come from outside the candidate’s discipline. Therefore, the candidates work needs to be presented as clearly as possible, so that scholars in other fields can understand the candidates’ goals and accomplishments. Outside letters of support should show evidence of continued broad influence, breadth of impact on discipline, and continuing evidence should be addressed.
- Candidate’s curriculum vitae, including a list of grants, publications, performances, or exhibitions of creative works
- Representative publications or, where appropriate, such materials as slides and tapes.
- If appropriate, published reviews of work or other examples of its reception.
- A synopsis describing the research career and significant contributions to the discipline (including citations) of the candidate, characterizing the research completed and in progress. Provide a context in which a colleague from another field can understand the significance of the work. (maximum 5 pages)
- Solicited letters are to be requested by the nominee’s Division Dean/Director/Chair. Once the letters are received, they are to be sent to the Contracts and Grants Coordinator for inclusion in the research portfolio.
- Minimum of 8 years of research experience in discipline.
- Significant contribution to discipline.
- Significant publications or other means of dissemination.
- Exemplary reputation as a researcher/scholar/leader in discipline.
Award Winners
- 2024 | Andrea Rusnock | Art History
- 2023 | Mohammad Merhi | Decision Sciences | What Makes Employees Resist Information Systems Security Policies
- 2022 | Dora Natella | Fine Arts | The Life and Arts of Dora Natella
- 2019 | Jorge Muniz | Music | Longing for Justice: The Timeless Story of Jorge Muñiz's Opera Fuenteovejuna, from Pen to Stage
- 2015 | Micheline Nilsen | History | From Turnips to Lawn Chairs: Allotment Gardens in Europe
- 2014 | Kevin Ladd | Psychology | Labyrinths, Mannequins, fMRI, and Eyeballs: Toward a Psychology of Prayer
- 2013 | No award
- 2012 | Lesley Walker | World Language Studies | When Girls Read Rousseau or a Rake’s Progress
- 2011 | Monika Lynker/Rolf Schimmrigk | Physics and Astronomy | Why Black Holes are not Black
- 2010 | No award
- 2009 | Mark Fox | Business and Economics | Work Life Balance: Choices, Constraints, and Possibilities
- 2008 | Ilan Levine | Physics and Astronomy | Finding the Unseeable: The Hunt for Dark Matter
- 2007 | Michael Lasater | Arts | Visions Fugitive: New Work in Video, Animation, and Sound (exhibition)
- 2006 | Jerry Hinnefeld | Physics and Astronomy | Halos, Driplines, and Breakouts: A Glimpse of Early 21st Century Nuclear Physics
- 2005 | Andrew Schnabel | Biological Sciences | Pollination and Paternity in African Acacias
- 2004 | Fred Naffziger | Business and Economics | Has the World Gone Crazy? Legal Issues: A Call for Context in Public Discussion
- 2003 | Peter Bushnell | Biology | From Lab Bench to Long-Lining: What Physiologists Can Offer Fisheries
- 2003 | Daniel Olson | Sociology and Anthropology | What Happens When Religions Compete
- 2002 | Monle Lee | Business and Economics | Flipping Through the Pages: The Media's Evolving Portrayals of Women and Minorities
- 2001 | Michael Darnel | Mathematics | Finding Some Order in Algebra
- 2001 | Margaret Scanlan | English | Literature and Terror
- 2000 | John McIntosh | Psychology | The Legacy of Suicide
- 1999 | Steven Shore | Physics and Astronomy | A Voyage to the Heart of the Galaxy: The Life and Times of the Milky Way