2016-2017 Nomination Period Now Closed

The Academic Senate Distinguished Scholarship Award Committee invites nominations for the Distinguished Scholarship Award. Each year, three awards are presented, each accompanied by a cash prize of $2,000.

These awards recognize achievement in scholarship and creative activity across the entire range of disciplines represented at Cal Poly. They honor work conducted primarily at Cal Poly and celebrate both exemplary specific accomplishments and outstanding bodies of achievement

Faculty, students, staff, and alumni may submit nominations.  Faculty members may nominate themselves. All nominations must be submitted using the online nomination form.

All nominees must be current members of the Cal Poly faculty (i.e. members of collective bargaining unit 3) and must be active at Cal Poly for at least one quarter during the academic year in which they are nominated (for example, faculty who are on leave for an entire academic year will not be eligible for that year). Faculty members at all ranks are eligible as long as they have completed at least three years of full time service or its equivalent at Cal Poly.

Selection Criteria:

1.Quality of the creative or scholarly work as evidenced by any of the following:

• Extensive peer recognition of the work as substantial, seminal, and scholarly
• Contributions to improvements in the human condition and quality of life
• Use of the ideas, techniques, and creative work by industry, practitioners, and others

2. Importance of the scholarly work to students as evidenced by any of the following:

• Influence of the nominee's scholarly and creative work on student learning
• Effectiveness in furthering scholarship and creative activity among students
• Quality and significance of related senior projects, theses, and other student work
• Influence of the work on curriculum improvement and enhanced student learning experiences

3. Importance of the scholarly work to Cal Poly as evidenced by any of the following:

• Enhancement of the reputation of Cal Poly or its academic units
• Significance of grants and contracts received
• Mentoring and facilitating the professional development of other faculty and staff
• Recognition from industry, professional and academic organizations, and other institutions

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2015-2016 Award Recipients

Ronald Den Otter, Political Science, CLA	Peggy Papathakis, Food Science & Nutrition, CAFES	William Siembieda, City & Regional Planning, CAED

Previous Distinguished Scholarship Award Recipients

Year Award Presented	Name and Department		Year Award Presented	Name and Department
2014-2015	Wyatt Brown, Horticulture & Crop Science Philip Costanzo, Chemical & Biochemical Engineering Lars Tomanek, Biological Sciences		2013-2014	Steven Klisch, Mechanical Engineering David Marshall, Aerospace Engineering
2012-2013	Bernard Duffy, Communication Studies Lanny Griffin, Biomedical & General Engineering		2011-2012	Chris Kitts, Biological Science William Hendricks, Recreation Parks & Tourism
2010-2011	Michael Geringer, Management Jordi Puig-Suari, Aerospace Engineering		2009-2010	George Cotkin, History Rafael Jimenez, Dairy Science
2008-2009	Patrice Engle, Psychology & Child Development Dean Wendt, Biological Sciences		2007-2008	Terry Jones, Social Sciences Michael Marlow, Economics
2006-2007	Mark Moline, Biological Sciences Craig Russell, Music		2005-2006	Dan Biezad, Aerospace Engineering Andrew Morris, History
2004-2005	Estelle Basor, Mathematics Rami Shani, Management		2003-2004	Charles Burt, Bioresource and Ag Engineering Joanna Ruggles, Art and Design