Mentoring Awards
![students and mentor discussing](/media/university-of-west-florida/academic-affairs/departments/our/our-images/20190402_MRG_7862-XL.jpg)
The Faculty Excellence in Undergraduate Research Mentoring Awards
Call for Nominations
OUR requests nominations for the Faculty Excellence in Undergraduate Research Mentoring Awards. These awards serve to recognize faculty that exemplify UWF's commitment to the undergraduate research experience and convey the University's high regard for faculty contributions outside of the traditional classroom.
Anticipated Timeline (2025-2026)
Call for nominations: Wednesday, Aug 27, 2025
Deadline for nominations (including a letter of support): Friday, September 29, 2025
Deadline for nominee packets: Monday, October 20, 2025
Award recipients announcement: Thursday, November 20, 2025
Important Updates to 2024 Nomination Process: Please note that we have separated the nomination process into two separate steps: (1) the chair, dean, etc., will nominate the faculty member and submit the name of the nominee and a letter of support using this form; (2) OUR will contact the nominee and request that they submit the full nomination packet.
Please note that we have updated the nomination process into two separate steps:
- The Dean/Associate Dean/Chair will nominate the faculty member using this form to submit the name of the nominee and a letter of support,
- Then, OUR will contact the nominee and request they submit the complete nomination packet.
Nominees must include the following in their packet:
- Two-page vita highlighting undergraduate research mentoring activities while at UWF.
- List of mentees, including name, dates, project title, and current position, if possible.
- List of publications and presentations with undergraduate student authors and student research awards, honors, or scholarships. It is suggested that you provide this information via the Publications, Presentations, and Scholarly End Products Template.
- A one-page narrative from the nominee should include a discussion of mentoring philosophy, types of research and scholarship with context from the discipline's conventions, and how the mentor serves as a role model for building productive and transformative student-mentor relationships within their department, college, and/or discipline community. The narrative should focus on the relationship between the mentor and their mentees.
- A response from the nominee to the following prompt: Please discuss the effort it takes in your discipline to involve students in research and the breadth of different research topics/' projects in which your undergraduate students engage.
- Two letters of support from current or former student mentees. These can be solicited by the nominating Dean or Chair or by the nominee. Alternatively, OUR can contact mentees to request a letter of support. Please send names and current contact information for at least three mentees in order of preference to our@uwf.edu no later than September 30, 2024.
Step 1: Chairs and Deans should submit nominations using the form linked below:
Nominations OUR Mentor Award Fall 2025 Form (closed until September 22)
Step 2: Nominees should submit application materials using the form linked below:
2025 OUR Faculty Excellence in Undergraduate Research Mentoring Awards Application (application will be live starting September 22, 2025, anticipated).
If the nominee prefers not to use the application form, complete nomination packets can be emailed directly to the Office of Undergraduate Research at our@uwf.edu.
OUR is pleased to open the call for Faculty Excellence in Undergraduate Research Mentoring Awards nominations. Nominations from Deans, Associate Deans, and Department Chairs are requested. These awards serve to recognize faculty that exemplify UWF's commitment to the undergraduate research experience and convey the University's high regard for faculty contributions outside of the traditional classroom.
Award recipient's records should include a demonstration of mentoring undergraduate student research and scholarship that results in research "end products," such as peer-reviewed publications with student co-authors, student presentations, or performances. In addition to basic discipline skills, these accomplished mentors also contribute to student's professional development and success beyond graduation. Finally, award recipients should serve as role models to other faculty on how best to support research and scholarship on campus.
We anticipate making two awards (one Early Career Award for faculty with fewer than seven years in an academic setting and one Senior Career Award for faculty with seven or more years in an academic setting, including at least four years at UWF) of $1,500 (before tax). Awards will be presented to recognize exemplary undergraduate research mentoring, focusing on the mentoring relationship. Award candidates must be nominated by a College Dean Associate/Assistant Dean or a Department Chair.
Nomination with Letter of Support Deadline: Friday, September 19, 2025 (anticipated)
Nominees Application Packet Deadline: Monday, October 20, 2025 (anticipated)
The selection committee will include the Director of OUR, and at least one faculty member from each college or school. Evaluations and discussions by the committee will highlight mentoring activities included on the Mentor Award Nomination Review Rubric. The Director of OUR will make final decisions.
Award recipients are anticipated to be announced on Thursday, November 21, 2025.
Fall 2024
Early Career Award: Dr. Shusen Pu, Mathmatics and Statistics
Senior Career Award: Dr. Achraf Cohen, Mathmatics and Statistics
Spring 2024
Early Career Award: Dr. Hakki Erhan Sevil, Intelligent Systems and Robotics
Senior Career Award: Dr. Karen Barnes, Chemistry
Director’s Choice Award: Xuan Tran, Commerce
Director’s Choice Award: Alexis Janosik, Biology
2023
Early Career Award: Dr. Samantha Seals, Mathematics and Statistics
Senior Career Award: Dr. Tanay Kesharwani, Chemistry
Director’s Choice Award: Dr. Frank Gilliam, Biology
2022
Early Career Award: Dr. Jeff Simpson, Movement Sciences and Health
Senior Career Award: Valerie George, Art and Design
Director’s Choice Award: Dr. Rodney Guttmann, Biology
2021
Early Career Award: Dr. Susan Piacenza, Biology
Senior Career Award: Dr. Timothy Royappa, Chemistry
Director’s Choice Award: Willie Tubbs, Communication
2020
Early Career Award: Dr. Phillip Schmutz, Earth and Environmental Sciences
Senior Career Award: Dr. Jane Caffrey, Biology & Center for Environmental Diagnostics and Bioremediation
Director's Choice Award: Dr. Jamin Wells, History
2019
Early Career Award: Carrie Fonder, Art
Senior Career Award: Dr. Karen Molek, Chemistry
2018
Early Career Awards: Dr. Peter Memiah, Public Health; Dr. Alexis Janosik, Biology
Senior Career Award: no awards given in this category
2017
Early Career Award: Dr. Tanay Kesharwani, Chemistry
Senior Career Award: Dr. Jason Ortegren, Earth and Environmental Science