College Awards
Each year the college recognizes several members who have gone above and beyond the norm to continue to make the college a place of increased quality and merit. We take great pride in recognizing excellence in many different areas of our academic and work lives together, including teaching and learning, mentoring and research, service and support.
Past Awards
College-wide Awards
This award recognizes a team of three or more individuals, the majority of whom are members of the college, who have played a highly impactful role in advancing one or more key aspects of the mission of the college. Assessment of nominations will include the level of impact made as well as the way the team functioned to work together to create positive outcomes where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
This award recognizes a member of QANR who has made significant contributions toward advancing the college’s values and goals toward inclusive excellence. This award is available to faculty, staff, or students.
The Outstanding Publication Award will be presented for one outstanding publication in each academic department in QANR. Any article, book, or other published document with at least one author affiliated with a department in QANR is eligible for consideration. 2025
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2024.104942
This award recognizes the efforts of individuals to communicate complex science topics with a broad audience, who have worked to produce high-quality, engaging communication products in a variety of accessible forms. This award is available to faculty, staff, or students.
Student Awards
Selection is based on quality of research effort, evidence of success (such as published papers, presentations, posters at professional meetings), and other unique activities related to research efforts. Prior recipients are not eligible.
This award recognizes an outstanding graduate teaching assistant or graduate instructor (who served in this capacity at least one semester during the academic year). Prior recipients are not eligible.
This award recognizes excellence in undergraduate scholarship. Other service and student activity involvement may become a consideration in the selection process, but the main emphasis is on academic success and scholarly achievement.
This award recognizes an undergraduate student who has consistently engaged in independent inquiry through courses, extracurricular engagement (e.g. employment, internships, volunteer activity), and/or independent research. Prior recipients are not eligible.
Each Year the QANR selects an Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Fellow. This award is to recognize a student who shows extraordinary commitment to his/her fellow students as a UTF.
The QANR Awards Committee selects the QANR Outstanding Senior from the list of three students selected by the department faculty as departmental outstanding seniors.
The recipient of this award is selected by the QANR Undergraduate Student Body to honor an outstanding graduating senior in the QANR who has made the biggest impact on the College through involvement in clubs, organizations, and/or other college-related activities.
This award recognizes a student (undergraduate or graduate) who represents the "heart and soul of the University." Students should show a commitment to the institution and their program of study, as well as demonstrate internal involvement and service, department dedication, perseverance during times of adversity, and contribution behind the scenes.
Faculty Awards
Annually, each of the academic colleges selects a Faculty Researcher of the Year, who is recognized for his or her accomplishments during Research Week. This award recognizes excellence in research, scholarship or creative activity over the past 3 years.
This award is based on teaching excellence. Provided is a list of all faculty who meet eligibility criteria (has taught at USU more than three years; with a teaching load of 6+ credits per year, including one undergraduate course; not a recipient previous five years).
This award emphasizes excellence in academic mentoring of undergraduate students and engagement outside the classroom, including as a faculty advisor, club advisor, or in other capacities. This is different from the Undergraduate Research Mentor of the Year. Recipients from the previous five years are not eligible.
Staff Awards
Nominee must be 3/4 to full time, must have worked in QANR at least 2 years, and cannot be faculty. Selection criteria include initiative, professional attitude, reliability, efficiency, motivation, quality/quantity of work, and cooperativeness with co-workers. Recipients from the previous five years are not eligible.
This college award recognizes the contributions of our research staff, separate from the Employee of the Year award (for which they are also eligible).