KU Research Staff & Postdoctoral Achievement Awards

For both awards, qualifying individuals should have a full-time appointment (≥75% of FTE) in a KU Lawrence Campus academic unit or research center.

• For the KU Research Staff Achievement Award, individuals should hold any of the unclassified professional staff titles in the research job family, with the exception of postdoctoral researcher.
   
• The KU Research Postdoctoral Achievement Award is limited to postdoctoral researchers only.

The individual’s research should be characterized as having significant influence in their field and/or as representing a productive record of important research that has expanded intellectual or societal insights. A substantial portion of the work for which the award is given must have been done at KU.

Please note these awards for unclassified professional staff complement the existing Steven F. Warren Research Achievement Award, which is limited to full-time unclassified academic staff researchers.

Nominations must be submitted electronically through KU's Hub for Funding & Award Opportunities. Deadline to submit nominations through the portal is 11:59 p.m. Dec. 1.

Nominations must include:

• A one-page letter of recommendation from the head of the unit or close collaborator addressing the following:
   
  • the significance of the challenge/problem/question(s) posed
  • the magnitude of challenge/problem addressed
  • the importance of the contributions from the work conducted to date
  • a very brief explanation of the discipline’s expectations for the particular area/field
  • the form(s) in which the research is communicated and, of these forms, which is the most prestigious or recognized by colleagues.
     
• A curriculum vita or resume for the nominee.
• Letters from at least 2 references familiar with the nominee’s work and its significance.

Please note: The letters of support should be written in a manner that is understandable to reviewers who may not be experts in the specific field of research of the nominee.

Nominees are eligible to receive these awards for 2 years. To update materials for a candidate who was nominated last year, please contact internalresawards@ku.edu.

• In order to remain active during the second year of eligibility, nominators must provide an updated candidate CV and a letter outlining the candidate’s additional noteworthy scholarly accomplishments over the past year. These materials must be received by the annual nomination deadline.