Frontier Award

The Frontier Award recognizes exceptional scholarly achievement for mid-career faculty, as well as their potential to build on established research to advance knowledge and innovation.

Up to three faculty will be selected per year and will receive $2,000 each.

Nomination Information

Eligibility

• Tenured faculty at the rank of associate professor or professor, provided they have held the title of full professor for three years or less. Please note this is based on anniversary date, not calendar year.
• Must have three years of service at Virginia Tech at the time of nomination.
• The title of Distinguished Professor is the highest honor bestowed by Virginia Tech; therefore, Alumni and University Distinguished Professors are not eligible.
• Retired faculty are not eligible.
• Individuals can be honored with the award only once.

Selection Criteria

Demonstrated evidence of exemplary research or creative accomplishments appropriate to the discipline(s) as demonstrated in one or more of the categories listed below:

• A sustained pattern of:
  • Research publications in peer-reviewed journals, research monographs, research-oriented texts, or conference proceedings and/or presentations at conferences or workshops;
  • Presentations and/or exhibitions of significant work in the creative, visual, or performing arts;
• Influential and invited publication, review, keynote addresses, and/or performance of scholarly work to professional, scholarly, or other notable organizations and venues;
• Sustained substantial funding relevant to the candidate’s field of study;
• Record of funding and mentoring graduate students and/or post docs;
• Recognition of scholarly/creative work via awards from professional societies, notable national or international organizations, and/or similar recognition;
• Leadership of major externally funded programs (as appropriate to the field) and/or notable professional leadership in the candidate’s field.

Nomination Process and Package

Nominations must be received from a dean or their designee.  Nomination letters may be written by department head/chair or school director, but must be endorsed by the dean. Submissions are limited to one nomination per academic department or school per submission cycle.

Nomination package required elements: 

• Cover page with the following information:
  • Nominee name, rank, time in rank at Virginia Tech, time in rank prior to Virginia Tech (if relevant)
  • Department/school and college
  • Name of award being nominated for
  • Name and title of nominator
  • Signature from Dean (if separate from nominator)
  • A brief description of how scholarly excellence is typically measured or assessed in the discipline. For example, how is author order determined in the nominee’s field? What are typical measures of quality of scholarly output? This will assist reviews by non-experts.
• Nomination letter (two-pages maximum): The nomination letter should be a thorough description of the impact of the nominee’s research and creative activities, explicitly addressing the relevant selection criteria and written in language understood by individuals outside the discipline. 
• Curriculum vitae to include lists of publications or performances, grants and contracts, awards, etc.
• Two letters from external references. These references may include collaborators, and typically are from national or international experts in the field (academic, industrial, federal agency, professional association, etc.) attesting to the nominee’s contributions and the impact of their work.