The University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health Dean’s Research Staff Awards honor outstanding contributions by research staff working in research laboratories.
Call for nominations
Deadline to submit materials: Sept. 19, 2025
In 2025, the inaugural year of the awards, the award recipients will be by a subcommittee of the Basic Sciences Strategic Leadership Committee. In future years, previous award recipients will select the current year’s recipients. Up to four awards will be given each year.
Awards will be $1,000 each, presented by the dean at SMPH Collaborate on Nov. 7, 2025 from 3-4 p.m. in the Health Sciences Learning Center, followed by a social hour from 4-5 p.m.
Eligibility
Any non-faculty staff member having a significant impact in an SMPH research laboratory is eligible for nomination. Nominees should have at least three years of research experience in a research lab with a minimum 50% appointment. Postdocs are not eligible. Previous winners are not eligible.
Nomination details
- Any faculty or staff of the School of Medicine and Public Health may nominate awardees. Self-nominations are allowed.
- Nomination letters should address how the nominee’s contributions have advanced research efforts in the department/division/unit, including but not limited to demonstrations of the following:
- Commitment to professional development, personal growth and/or continuous learning in their field
- Improving the quality, rigor or transparency of data and research processes in their unit
- Sustained dedication and/or innovative approaches to supporting trainees
- Making key contributions towards the continued development of UW SMPH’s unique research strengths, or towards strengthening areas in which the school currently lacks capacity
Materials needed to complete the nomination packet
- Letter of nomination
- Letters should be addressed to Chair, Dean’s Research Staff Awards Selection Committee.
- The letter should include a narrative indicating the basis for selection and how the nominee meets the criteria outlined above. The nomination should explain how the nominee’s exceptional service has had a direct impact on the department/division/unit.
- The letter should not exceed two pages.
- Letter of support from the nominee’s departmental chair, division chief or center/institute director (required if the nomination letter is not from this individual).
- The letter should not exceed one page.
- Nominee’s curriculum vitae
- Nominee’s most impactful publications (up to three)
- Any additional materials relevant to the award
Submitting a nomination
- Nomination packets must be submitted electronically to the SMPH Dean’s Research Staff Award Box folder as a single PDF.
- Upload the single PDF attachment following this naming convention: “Nominee Last Name_2025_Dean’s Research Staff Award”
- The complete nomination packet must be submitted by the deadline. Incomplete nomination packets will not be forwarded to the committee.
Questions?
Chair, Dean’s Research Staff Awards Selection Committee
c/o Andrea Poehling, Office of Basic Research, Biotechnology and Graduate Studies
Email: andrea.poehling@wisc.edu