Distinguished Research Professor
The SIUE Distinguished Research Professor is an academic rank awarded to SIUE faculty members in order to recognize outstanding and sustained contributions to research and creative activities since achieving the rank of professor.
Definition of Research
Research is broadly defined as all creative, critical, scholarly, and/or empirical activity that expands, clarifies, reorganizes, or develops knowledge or artistic perception. This definition of research includes:
- the demonstration, implementation, application and dissemination of research results
- the scholarship of discovery, application, integration and teaching.
This definition of research does not include:
- departmental curriculum development, faculty development (learning an established technique, a language, or a methodology)
- dissertation research
- institutional research (studies related directly to the operation of the University)
- public service and consulting activities.
Eligibility
Tenured members of the SIUE faculty who have held the rank of Professor at SIUE for at least five years and have continued their scholarly activities are eligible for this recognition. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply, including minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and protected veterans. Tenured faculty with disabilities desiring accommodations in the application process should contact the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access at (618) 650-2333.
Award Description
The Distinguished Research Professor rank recognizes faculty members who have made an outstanding contribution to research or creative activities as a result of their continued commitment to scholarship beyond the period of their promotion to professor. Recipients of the Award will be recognized with the rank of "SIUE Distinguished Research Professor" for the duration of their tenure at SIUE. The recipients will be officially listed as “Distinguished Research Professor of [name of academic discipline].”
Recipients of the rank of Distinguished Research Professor will receive:
- a $1,000 increase in their academic year base salary (provided by the Provost’s Office)
- if on a 9-month appointment—one semester of Assigned Time for Research, at a time to be negotiated with their department chair and school/college dean; if on a 12-month appointment—services of a graduate assistant or supplies not to exceed the amount allotted for an average of assigned time for one semester. (This cost is split between the department, school/college, and Graduate School.)
- a medallion to be worn with their academic regalia
- names placed on a plaque displayed outside the Graduate School.
The SIUE Distinguished Research Professor recognition will not be given automatically; it will only be awarded to nominees demonstrating superior merit. Up to two awards may be given each year.
Timeline/Dates
- All applications must be submitted in the Distinguished Research Professor form Kuali Build application no later than the second Monday in September by 4:30 pm.
- September-November: The Evaluation Committee analyzes application materials and makes recommendations for the award to the Graduate School.
- December: Award announced
- April: Award is formally presented at Graduate School Research Symposium.
- Summer: Award disbursement made through University payroll system.
Application Process
- Applicants submit their full proposal by completing the Distinguished Research Professor form in Kuali Build.
- When submitting your application, use the File Upload icon in the “Upload Application Materials” section. Compile all documents listed below in a single PDF document for application review.
- Once submitted the application will then proceed to your department chair and dean for review.
- Then a review committee (typically DRPs and a librarian) will evaluate the application for the merit of Distinguished Research Professor.
Proposal Application
Application must be submitted as a single PDF in the following order.
1. Personal Statement (5-page maximum)
Your personal statement must demonstrate ways in which you have accomplished particular “distinction” in your field. Such benchmarks of distinction may include but are not limited to:- evidence of publications that have a high impact rating (h-index)*
- evidence of externally-funded research or creative activity with the applicant serving as the principal investigator
- invitations to serve as a plenary speaker, member of a conference organizing committee, etc.
- invitations to serve as editor of a significant journal in the field.
Include research or creative activity achievements in the following areas:
- involvement in externally-sponsored research or creative activities
- significant publications and/or nationally or internationally recognized exhibits or productions
- nationally or internationally significant presentations
- significant impact of the scholarship upon the discipline
- mentoring of students and faculty in research or creative activities
- significant service to the dissemination of research or creative activities through professional organizations.
The statement is to be no longer than 5 pages, with 1” margins and font sizes at minimum Times New Roman 11 or Arial 10.
Include the following sections:
- Evidence of Sustained Scholarly Activities while a Professor
Include how these accomplishments built on your accomplishments to receive the professor rank and demonstrate a continuous record of scholarship. - Evidence of Significance of Scholarly Activities while a Professor
*Note: Applicants may improve the strength of their impact statement by providing quantifiable evidence of the impact of their publications. For more information on gathering this information, applicants may contact their subject librarians or refer to the LibGuide “Your Research Impact” link to go to the Lovejoy Library Website.
2. Summaries and Letters of Support
- A minimum of five letters of support and a maximum of eight letters, solicited in consultation with your department chair or associate dean, that address your sustained contribution to research and/or creative activities since achieving the professor rank and its significance.
- Letters from academics must be from those with at least the rank of professor. Letters from non-academics must be from those with at least 12 years of experience in their field.
- At least three of the letters must come from faculty and/or distinguished colleagues in your field from outside the University.
- One of the remaining letters must be from your department chair or, if needed, associate dean regardless of their academic rank.
- For each recommendation letter, provide a summary before the letter of (1) the expertise of the recommender to testify to your contribution to the field and (2) their relationship to you, including a list of any shared publications, shared committee activity, or other collaborative work. This summary will be employed by the Committee to determine the significance of the recommender to the field and the relationship to the applicant.
3. Limited Curriculum Vitae
- List only your scholarly accomplishments since achieving the rank of professor.
4. Optional Appendices (10-20 pages maximum)
- A maximum of two appendices, each a maximum of 10 pages, that contain material relevant to and supportive of the application. An appendix may include selected samples of publications or other works since promotion to professor.
Selection Criteria
The Graduate School will appoint an ad hoc review committee consisting of experts in fields relevant to those of the applicants. The review committee shall assume responsibility for reviewing applications and making recommendations for the SIUE Distinguished Research Professor Award to the Graduate School.
The evaluation of applications will include, but is not limited to, consideration of the following:
- the record of research or creative activity that is original and that the applicant has sustained while at the academic rank of Professor
- the significance of their work to the discipline
- the extent to which they are recognized by colleagues and by distinguished scholars in the field.
The review committee will recommend to the Graduate School only those nominees who have made a significant and sustained contribution to the scholarship of the discipline.
Other Resources
For further information or questions regarding the competition, please contact siueresearch@siue.edu.Previous Awardees
2023 Distinguished Research Professor: Jason Stacy
2022 Distinguished Research Professor: Kimberly Archer
2021 Distinguished Research Professors: Howard Rambsy, Riza Demirer
2020 Distinguished Research Professors: Zhiqing Lin, Scott Umbaugh
2018 Distinguished Research Professor: Gregory Fields
2017 Distinguished Research Professors: William Retzlaff, Michael Shaw
2016 Distinguished Research Professors: George Pelekanos, Ali Kutan
2014 Distinguished Research Professor: Albert Luo
2013 Distinguished Research Professor: Majid Molki
2012 Distinguished Research Professors: Richard Brugam, Keqin Gu
2011 Distinguished Research Professors: Allison Funk, Edward Sewell
2010 Distinguished Research Professors: Steve Rigdon and Ronald Schaefer
2009 Distinguished Research Professors: Margaret (Peg) Simons, Leah O'Brien
2008 Distinguished Research Professors: Paul Dresang, Ursula Ledzewicz
2007 Distinguished Research Professors: Rik Hafer, Krzysztof Jarosz
2006 Distinguished Research Professors: Timothy Patrick, Marian Smith
