Research Category

• Distinguished Scholar Research Award – One award may be given for lifetime, sustained, or career achievements in public engagement activities.
• Emerging Scholar Research Award – One award may be given for early career public engagement activities.

Teaching Category

• Distinguished Instructor Award - One award may be given for lifetime, sustained, or career achievements in publicly engaged instruction (e.g., Service Learning and other pedagogical models for partnering with community stakeholders).
• Emerging Instructor Award - One award may be given for early career achievements in publicly engaged instruction (e.g., Service Learning and other pedagogical models for partnering with community stakeholders).

Team Category

• Faculty Team Award– One faculty team award may be given for public engagement activities. The team must be multidisciplinary and comprised of at least two UConn faculty from different departments/schools. The focus of the team can be on research, teaching, or both.

Eligibility

All faculty members (tenure track, CIRE/NTT, or research) with at least a 50% appointment at the University who have demonstrated significant individual contributions to the local community, state, nation, or world through distinguished University public engagement are eligible for public engagement awards. For purposes of these awards, distinguished public engagement is a direct extension of an individual’s disciplinary or technical expertise to the public and non-profit sector. Individuals who have received one of these awards is not eligible for the same award.

Engagement or service resulting in monetary gain (private consulting) is not considered public service, nor is service that is performed as a private citizen (membership in local service clubs, for example) or as an elected public official.

Evaluation Criteria

The selection committee will evaluate nominations on the degree to which a nominee meets the following criteria in performing public engagement activities:

• • Sustained leadership (for the emerging faculty awards, a minimum of two years at UConn; for the distinguished faculty awards 10 years at UConn) in working with the public and/or with external organizations;
  • Innovative ways of working for the well-being of citizens and communities via research and/or the educational experience of students;
  • Documented excellence in extending University or community knowledge;
  • Evidence of the impact on the community served;
  • Demonstrated intellectual, professional, personal, and/or career growth as a result of the experience;
  • Demonstrated level of responsibility that goes above and beyond what is expected; and
  • Evidence of impact on scholarship/research (Research Award), instruction and curriculum development (Instructor Award), or evidence of national significance in the field or community.

Category

• Distinguished Staff Award – One award may be given for lifetime, sustained, or career achievements in public engagement activities.
• Emerging Staff Award – One award may be given for early career public engagement activities.

• Staff Team Award– One staff team award may be given for public engagement activities. The team must be comprised of at least two UConn staff.

Eligibility

All staff and non-faculty research associates with at least a 50% appointment at the University who have demonstrated significant individual contributions to the local community, state, nation, or world through distinguished University public engagement are eligible for public engagement awards. For purposes of these awards, distinguished public engagement is a direct extension of an individual’s disciplinary or technical expertise to the public and non-profit sector. Individuals who have received one of these awards is not eligible for the same award.

Engagement or service resulting in monetary gain (private consulting) is not considered public service, nor is service that is performed as a private citizen (membership in local service clubs, for example) or as an elected public official.

Evaluation Criteria

The selection committee will evaluate nominations on the degree to which a nominee meets the following criteria in performing public engagement activities:

• Sustained leadership (for the emerging awards, a minimum of two years at UConn, for the distinguished awards 10 years at UConn) in working with the public and/or with external organizations;
• Innovative ways of working for the well-being of citizens and communities;
• Documented excellence in extending University or community knowledge;
• Evidence of the impact on the community served;
• Demonstrated intellectual, professional, personal, and/or career growth as a result of the experience; and
• Demonstrated level of responsibility that goes above and beyond what is expected.

Category

• Undergraduate Student Award – One award may be given to an undergraduate student for public engagement activities.
• Graduate or Professional Student Award – One award may be given to a graduate or professional student for public engagement activities.
• Student Team Award – One student team award may be given for public engagement activities. The team should be comprised of at least two students (undergraduate and/or graduate), and at least one member of the team must be a faculty or staff member at University of Connecticut. The majority of the team members must be students.

Eligibility

All current undergraduate and graduate/professional students who have demonstrated significant individual contributions to the local community, state, nation, or world through distinguished University public engagement are eligible for public engagement awards. For purposes of these awards, distinguished public engagement is a direct extension of an individual’s disciplinary or technical expertise to the public and non-profit sector. Individuals who have received one of these awards is not eligible for the same award.

Engagement or service resulting in monetary gain (private consulting) is not considered public service, nor is service that is performed as a private citizen (membership in local service clubs, for example) or as an elected public official.

Evaluation Criteria

Individual Award for Students

The selection committee will evaluate nominations on the degree to which a student nominee meets the following criteria in performing public engagement activities:

• Sustained leadership (a minimum of two semesters) with responsibilities that have progressively increased over time;
• Innovative and/or entrepreneurial ways of working for the well-being of citizens and communities;
• Evidence of the impact on a community served; and
• Demonstrated intellectual, educational, or professional, and personal development as a result of the experience.

Team Award for Students

The selection committee will evaluate nominations on the degree to which a nominated team meets the following criteria in performing public engagement activities:

• Sustained leadership (a minimum of two semesters) in working with the public and/or with external organizations;
• Innovative ways of working for the well-being of citizens and communities;
• Documented excellence in extending University knowledge;
• Evidence of the impact on the community served;
• Evidence of impact on scholarship/research, instruction and curriculum development, or evidence of national significance in the field or community; and
• Consideration will be given to projects that encourage participation from multiple stakeholders.

Category

• Community Partner – One award may be given to a community individual, organization, or group who has worked collaboratively with University of Connecticut on public engagement activities that demonstrate significant impact.

Eligibility

Members of the community who, in collaboration with University of Connecticut, have demonstrated significant contributions to the local community, state, nation, or world through distinguished public engagement are eligible for this award. Community partners who have received this award in the previous 5 years are not eligible.

Evaluation Criteria

The selection committee will evaluate nominations on the degree to which a community partner nominee meets the following criteria in performing public engagement activities:

• Sustained activity with University of Connecticut (minimum of two years) that involves work with the public and/or with external organizations;
• Innovative ways of working for the well-being of citizens and communities and the educational experience of University of Connecticut students; and
• Evidence of impact on the community served.

All nominations will be reviewed by the Outreach & Engagement Advisory Committee.

Review criteria includes:

• Alignment with the University’s mission and goals;
• Demonstrating service or contribution over a sustained period and beyond the normal expectations of the faculty, staff, student, or community partner’s role;
• Evidence of exceptionalism in partnership/project;
• Enhancing the reputation of the University as actively engaged with the region and the communities it serves; and
• Overall merit.

Recommendations will be submitted to the Provost who will then render the final decision as to the recipients of the awards.