D. Wynne Thorne Career Research Award Nomination Procedures

2024 Nomination is closed. Check back soon to see the nomination deadline for 2025.

The D. Wynne Thorne Career Research Award is Utah State’s most prestigious career research recognition for senior faculty, and it includes a $7,500 honorarium. The basis of selection for the award is the significance and quality of research or creative achievement, as distinct from service or teaching. Recognition of one’s work by experts of national and international standing is a key indicator of its importance; hence, evaluations from outside the university will be sought for each full professor nominee.

Any faculty member, department, or college within the university may make nominations for the Thorne Award. The following materials should be submitted in support of nominations:

Criteria

  • The faculty nominee must be a current employee of USU or have retired within the 12 months prior to submission.
  • Nominees not selected from the previous year are automatically carried forward for consideration the following year for one additional cycle. Although not required, submission of updated versions of the nomination letter and candidate CV are strongly encouraged. New letters from experts may be solicited but are not required.
  • Nominees not selected either of two consecutive years must remain out of the process for one selection cycle before resubmitting a package. If you are uncertain about the eligibility of your nominee, please contact the Office of Research. 

Submission Materials

  • Name, title, contact information and A # of nominee
  • An approximately 200-word biography of the nominee addressing how their achievements align with the award criteria
  • Letter of Nomination. The letter of nomination should be no longer than three pages. Letters that begin with impact and significance are rhetorically more persuasive than letters that detail the candidate’s accomplishments in chronological order. The letter should indicate the candidate’s research role (e.g., percentage in the role statement) and explain the candidate’s research and its impact in the context of their discipline. This description should be written such that a diverse audience or the public could understand how the research, scholarship, or artistic activity has made a difference.
  • Candidate CV. The candidate’s CV should begin with a statement about the focus of the research and its significance and impact (300-word limit). The CV should include complete lists of publications or creative products, sponsored projects, and awards/honors indicating national and international recognition by peers.
  • List of External Letter Writers. The list of recognized experts in the candidate’s field should be ranked 1 through 6 in terms of familiarity with the candidate’s work and must include contact information. Letters of recommendation are not to be included with the nominating letter; these will be solicited by the Office of Research from the list provided. The opinions of nationally and internationally recognized experts are most persuasive. The candidate’s CV and nomination letter will be shared with these individuals.
  • Professional Photo – Portrait-orientation head shot of nominee to be used in promotional materials and website.

Process

  • Nominations can be submitted by any current faculty member of the University.
  • The D. Wynne Thorne Career Research Award Committee will review all nominations.
  • The committee will review their analysis of the candidates with the Vice President for Research.
  • The Vice President for Research will carry the committee’s recommendations into discussion with the President of the University.
  • The President of the University will select the D. Wynne Thorne Career Research Awardee.

Recognition

  • Recipient will receive a $7,500 monetary award.
  • Recipient will be honored during the Faculty Awards Ceremony event in Spring of the award year.
  • Recipient will be asked to give the annual D. Wynne Thorne Lecture during Research Week the following year.