Graduate School

The OSU Graduate School and the Office of Postdoctoral Programs is please to award the Postdoctoral Excellence Award (PEA) to two exceptional Postdoc Scholar(s) and Fellow(s) annually in recognition of their outstanding contributions to their research field, OSU, and the broader postdoctoral community.

Each recipient of the award will be a Postdoctoral Scholar or Fellow who displays excellence in scientific research, innovation, leadership, outreach and service, which will be measured by:

• Contribution and innovation in their field of research
• Outreach and service to professional organizations (e.g., OSU’s Postdoctoral Association), the OSU community, and/or other related scholarly or career-related groups
• Leadership and advocacy in professional organizations, the OSU community, and/or other related scholarly or career-related groups
• Intentional professional development efforts.

The Award

Each recipient of this award will receive $1,000 and a framed certificate of recognition, typically presented during University Day.

Eligibility

Nominee must be a current Postdoctoral Scholar or Fellow at OSU for at least one year, but not more than three years. Individuals may only receive this award once.

Evaluation Criteria

• Quality and innovation of scholarly contributions and accomplishments.
• Quality and types of engagement in outreach and service activities that demonstrate investment in a broader community.
• Quality and types of professional leadership and advocacy.
• Demonstrated intentional commitment to ongoing professional development.
• Quality of nominee’s CV.

A committee assembled by the Director of Postdoctoral Programs will review the nominations and will select the Postdoc Scholar(s) or Fellow(s) who are considered to mostly closely embody the spirit and intent of the award. Final selections will be announced to the OSU community.

Nomination Period

The nomination period begins on September 30, 2024. All nominations must be submitted by 5 p.m., April 27, 2025. Awards will be determined in May 2025.

Nomination Procedure

Nominees cannot apply directly for this award. Nominations must be submitted by the Postdoc Scholar or Fellow’s current mentor(s). Each unit (as defined by university major code) and institutional partner may nominate no more than ONE nominee (total) per award cycle.

In the online nomination form, nominators will be required to upload the following materials as one PDF document using the following file name convention: “Nominee’s Last Name_Department_PDExcellence.pdf.”

1. A letter of nomination from the nominee’s current mentor(s) (maximum 2 pages). The letter should reference the nominee’s scholarly contributions, outreach and service, leadership, efforts and outcomes related to their professional development, , and other notable accomplishments,. The following examples of evidence may be used to demonstrate each criterion:
   • Scholarship – peer reviewed publications and presentations, grant submissions, technology development, patents, and honors and distinctions earned.
   • Outreach and service – significant committee or individual service with professional organizations, the OSU community, or other scholarly or career-related groups.
   • Leadership – leadership activities with professional organizations, the OSU community, or other scholarly or career-related groups.
   • Professional development – evidence of intentional efforts and outcomes in professional development, such as mentoring of graduate and/or undergraduate students, teaching experience, and participation in professional development workshops, seminars, and events.
2. Up to two additional letters of support from individuals with whom the nominee has worked closely in activities relates to leadership, outreach, service, and impact (maximum 1 page per letter).
3. Candidate’s current CV, including major accomplishments, leadership roles and activities, outreach and service, etc. (maximum 5 pages).

Questions

For questions about this award or any Graduate School administered awards, please contact our Graduate Scholarships and Fellowships team.