This award recognizes faculty members who have generated sufficient volume of scholarship of high quality and are emerging in their fields as leaders and acknowledged as such by their peers. A candidate must not be more than 10 years beyond receipt of the Ph.D. or M.D. degree (i.e. 2016 for the 2026 award).

Review criteria: 

• Has the nominee demonstrated research excellence through the quality and influence of their work in their field?
• Has the nominee's work been applied or utilized to benefit the community or society at large?
• Has the nominee developed and maintained a long-term research program?

Nomination components:

• An executive summary in Word or PDF format addressing why the nominee should receive the award. Provide an assessment of excellence and evidence supporting your nomination based on the criteria for this specific award (listed above). Limited to 1 page.
• An abbreviated CV in Word or PDF format. The CV should highlight their research and any other activities related to the specific award. Limited to 2 pages. 
• Optional: An external (outside of UVA) letter of support in Word or PDF format. Limited to 2 pages.

Award information:  Up to three awardees to be recognized.

This award recognizes a faculty member for their excellence in research through significant discoveries and scholarship. It is intended for scholars who are making an impact in their field and on society, and are acknowledged as a leader in their field.

Review criteria: 

• Has the nominee demonstrated research excellence through the quality and influence of their work in their field? 
• Has the nominee shown a commitment to research leadership through mentorship and collaboration? 
• Has the nominee’s work been applied or utilized to benefit the community or society at large? 
• Has the nominee been recognized by their peers within the field? 
• Has the nominee developed and maintained a long-term research program? 

Nomination components:

• An executive summary in Word or PDF format addressing why the nominee should receive the award. Provide an assessment of excellence and evidence supporting your nomination based on the criteria for this specific award (listed above). Limited to 1 page.
• An abbreviated CV in Word or PDF format. The CV should highlight their research and any other activities related to the specific award. Limited to 2 pages. 
• An external (outside of UVA) letter of support in Word or PDF format. Limited to 2 pages.

Award information:   Up to three awardees to be recognized.

This award recognizes a team of faculty researchers (3 or more individual scholars) who have collectively made unique and significant contributions through their research collaboration. The award also recognizes innovative approaches to the process of research collaborations by a team of researchers.

Large collaborative teams are welcome to apply, but please note that invitations to the Research Achievement Awards ceremony are limited and not all team members may be able to attend.

Review criteria: 

• Have the nominees demonstrated a commitment to collaborative research excellence?
• Have the nominees’ collaborative efforts addressed critical issues or advanced knowledge in their field? 
• Have the nominees ensured the sustainability and longevity of their collaborative research efforts?

Nomination components:

• A summary of the team's collaboration history and achievements in Word or PDF format. This can include publications, grants, and other works, as well as any necessary information about the individual members. This document should show the strength and significance of the collaboration and respond to the award criteria. Limited to 7 pages.
• Optional: An external (outside of UVA) letter of support in Word or PDF format. Limited to 2 pages.

The nomination form will only accept the contact information for one individual from the the team. This is for operational purposes only and that person is not elevated over the other team members.

Award information: One award to recognize a collaborative team.

This award recognizes a faculty member for their outstanding contributions to arts and humanities. It is intended for faculty who are creating new knowledge and creative works in their discipline that are acknowledged by their peers as meeting the highest standards in their fields. Often the work and its impact on society will have the potential of becoming a gold standard in the field.

Review criteria: 

• Has the nominee demonstrated originality and innovation in their research within the field? 
• Has the nominee ensured high quality in their research outputs? 
• Has the nominee incorporated cultural engagement and relevance within their research? 
• Has the nominee’s collaborative research impacted both their field and the broader society?  

Nomination components:

• An executive summary in Word or PDF format addressing why the nominee should receive the award. Provide an assessment of excellence and evidence supporting your nomination based on the criteria for this specific award (listed above). Limited to 1 page.
• An abbreviated CV in Word or PDF format. The CV should highlight their research and any other activities related to the specific award. Limited to 2 pages. 
• Optional: An external (outside of UVA) letter of support in Word or PDF format. Limited to 2 pages.

Award information: Up to three awardees to be recognized.

Nominated by faculty mentee(s), this award recognizes faculty members for their dedicated and extraordinary efforts to help others succeed in their research careers. This award is intended to recognize mentoring of faculty members, not students or others. 

Review criteria:

• Has the nominee displayed a commitment to high-quality mentorship?
• Does the nominee support mentee career development and advancement?
• Is the long-term impact and legacy of the mentor evident?

Nomination components:

• An executive summary in Word or PDF format addressing why the nominee should receive the award. Provide an assessment of excellence and evidence supporting your nomination based on the criteria for this specific award (listed above). Limited to 1 page.
• An abbreviated CV in Word or PDF format. The CV should highlight their research and any other activities related to the specific award. Limited to 2 pages. 
• Optional: An external (outside of UVA) letter of support in Word or PDF format. Limited to 2 pages.

Award information:  Up to twelve awardees to be recognized.

Nominated by student or postdoc mentees or faculty colleagues, this award recognizes faculty members for their dedicated and extraordinary efforts to help others succeed in their research careers. 

Review criteria:

• Has the nominee displayed a commitment to high-quality mentorship?
• Does the nominee support mentee training, career development and advancement?
• Is the long-term impact and legacy of the mentor evident?

Nomination components:

• An executive summary in Word or PDF format addressing why the nominee should receive the award. Provide an assessment of excellence and evidence supporting your nomination based on the criteria for this specific award (listed above). Limited to 1 page.
• An abbreviated CV in Word or PDF format. The CV should highlight their research and any other activities related to the specific award. Limited to 2 pages. 
• Optional: An external (outside of UVA) letter of support in Word or PDF format. Limited to 2 pages.

Award information:  Up to twelve awardees to be recognized.

This award recognizes contributions by faculty from all academic disciplines who help to improve lives and serve society through their work. The award includes individuals who demonstrate public impact either through public outreach or dissemination of their work, or through direct public partnership and engagement with a particular community. The former includes proactively sharing research or viewpoints on research and policy issues with the public via traditional or new media channels, while the latter means working with a particular community on a community research project designed for positive impact. This award acknowledges that both efforts serve the larger mission of creating and disseminating knowledge across all disciplines for the benefit of the community, the region, and the world. 

Review criteria:  

• Does the nominee’s research address socially relevant and urgent issues? 
• Do the nominee’s research outcomes make a measurable impact? 
• Has the nominee engaged with the public through their research? 
• Has the nominee used innovative approaches to enhance the public impact of their research? 

Nomination components:

• An executive summary in Word or PDF format addressing why the nominee should receive the award. Provide an assessment of excellence and evidence supporting your nomination based on the criteria for this specific award (listed above). Limited to 1 page.
• An abbreviated CV in Word or PDF format. The CV should highlight their research and any other activities related to the specific award. Limited to 2 pages. 
• Optional: An external (outside of UVA) letter of support in Word or PDF format. Limited to 2 pages.

Award information: Up to three awardees to be recognized.

The Bhakta Rath Research Award, established in 2022 by a gift from Dr. Bhakta B. Rath and his wife, Sushama Rath, offers an opportunity to promote and reward excellence in Public Impact Research (PIR).

Recipients of this award will be a graduate student or postdoc and their collaborating UVA faculty member. The award recognizes those who conduct exceptional research in anticipation of the future needs of the nation while supporting potential advances in PIR, and will continue to apply this knowledge upon establishing a career within the U.S. or its territories. Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.

Review criteria for the Public Impact Focused Research Award: 

• Does the work have a public impact? 
• Does the work have a major scientific or technological impact? 
• Has it created new knowledge with the potential for transformational capabilities? 
• Has it fundamentally improved the scientific and technological knowledge base? 
• Does it have the potential for transitioning the findings to an industrial sector? 

More information on the Rath Award is available on this page.

Submit a Nomination

Who is eligible for the awards?

UVA faculty, with the exception of emeritus and visiting faculty, are eligible for awards. Faculty who won a Research Achievement Award the prior year are not eligible for this year's cycle (e.g. 2025 winners are not eligible for 2026 awards).

Can an individual nominate themselves? 

Yes.

Are the nominations limited by school or department?

No.

Can an individual nominate a faculty member for more than one award in a year?

No.

What is an external letter of recommendation?

The letter of recommendation should come from someone outside of the University of Virginia. It is only required for the Distinguished Researcher Award.

How can award funds be used?

All funds will be provided as internal funds for research related activities, and will be available for for a maximum of 24 months.

When will winners be notified?

Award winners will be notified in January. Individuals who submitted nominations that were not selected will also be notified at that time.