In recognition of the exemplary accomplishments in research, scholarship, and creative activity by faculty members and graduate students at Illinois Institute of Technology, the Office of the Provost, the Office of Research, and the Illinois Tech Chapter of Sigma Xi sponsor the annual Sigma Xi/ IIT Awards for Excellence in University Research. Sigma Xi, a scientific research society, is a non-profit group of nearly 75,000 scientists and engineers who have been elected to the society because of their research achievements or potential.

Eligibility

Full-time faculty members and full-time graduate students at Illinois Tech are eligible for consideration. Three or four awards will be granted in recognition of the recipients’ significant accomplishments in research, scholarship or creative activity while teaching or studying at Illinois Tech.

• A $1,000 award is given to a distinguished tenured, senior member of the faculty who has consistently demonstrated extraordinary leadership in research and/or creative activity.
• A second $1,000 award is given to a junior faculty member who has demonstrated outstanding potential in research, scholarship, and/or artistic achievement. Junior faculty is defined as an assistant or associate professor who has been employed by Illinois Tech for less than seven years and who has graduated with a Ph.D. degree within the last 10 years.
• Up to two student awards of $500 each are given to graduate students who have demonstrated significant promise in research and scholarship through their accomplishments while at Illinois Tech.

*Awardees also receive a commemorative plaque honoring their accomplishment.

Faculty nominations from 2016 and 2017 will be reconsidered this year, if the nominator requests in writing. Please also submit an updated curriculum vitae for consideration. Junior faculty nominees must continue to meet the eligibility requirements.

Nominations 

A completed nomination packet shall include the following components in a pdf format:

• A short formal letter of nomination addressed to the Sigma Xi selection committee identifying the candidate and award level (this is separate from the letters of support required)
• A brief description of the accomplishments in research, scholarship, and/or creative activity of the nominee or applicant, and the significance and impact of this work. This description should be no more than two single-spaced pages in length.
• Three letters of support that attest to the significance and value of the accomplishments of the nominee or applicant (letters should be addressed to the Sigma Xi selection committee)
• Curriculum Vitae of the candidate

The nominator should collect all the documents and submit them to osrp@iit.edu in one single email by Wednesday, March 14 at 5 p.m. (there will be no extensions on any of the materials). Please refrain from sending multiple emails.