UNIVERSITY OF ULSTER SENIOR DISTINGUISHED RESEARCH ...

UNIVERSITY OF ULSTERSENIOR DISTINGUISHED RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP AWARD 2011GUIDANCE NOTES1. IntroductionAs part of its strategy for research the University of Ulster wishes to recognise theoutstanding scholarly accomplishment of staff members. This indicator ofrecognition is in the form of an annual award of Senior Distinguished ResearchFellowship.The Award consists of a grant of £2,500 to support the research and related workof the Fellow. The total number of awards available in any one year is two. Allpersons selected for these awards are honoured publicly and presentation of theawards forms part of the Winter graduation ceremony.2. EligibilityAny member of staff who has served at least three years at the University on theclosing date for submission of nominations is eligible to be nominated.3. CriteriaThe Senior Distinguished Research Fellowship Award is for staff members whohave compiled a substantial and continuing record of outstanding research andscholarly activity and have profoundly contributed to their field in a leadershipcapacity. Nominees for his award must have achieved pre-eminence in their fieldboth nationally and internationally and must provide evidence that his/herresearch has influenced the field.The criteria that will be used in selecting Fellows are:a. a successful and continuing record of research outputs 1 judged to beinternationally excellent in terms of originality, significance and rigour with atleast one output judged to be world-leading. Nominees are asked to providedetails of their best 3 research outputs outlining why they are consideredimportant;b. evidence of substantive leadership achievements in the advancement andpromotion of research over a significant period of time;c. being held in high esteem by organisations external to the university, asevidenced by awards or other citations (apart from the provision of a researchgrant). The following are indicative of esteem: organisation of majorconferences or special symposia; journal editorship; contributions to nationalor international committees; competitive fellowships; election to academies;conferment of honours, work on advisory panels. Allowable evidence alsoincludes feedback on exceptional performance in the completion of an1The Research Office will provide the Awards Committee with data from the Ulster Institutional Repository onresearch outputs produced since 1 st January 2008 for each nominee.

externally funded research project. Comment within the general media willnot, by itself, be sufficient of esteem;d. successful supervision to doctoral completion 2 (other than for PhD byPublished Works) at a level commensurate with the discipline;e. the attraction of external research funding 3 at a level commensurate with thediscipline (Note: ‘consideration will be given as to whether the nominee is PIor not.)4. Nomination of Candidatesa. Nominations may be initiated by peers or administrators (ie: Deans, RIDirectors, Heads of School) and approved by the appropriate Institute, Schooland Faculty as appropriate. The nominator must notify the candidate andsecure his/her approval.b. Nominations should be submitted to the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research &Innovation) by the Dean of the nominating Faculty who will be asked, inconsultation with the relevant RI Director, to rank candidates and explain howcandidates within the Faculty are identified and ranked.c. Each Faculty is limited to two nominations. Nomination forms can bedownloaded from the Research Office website:http://research.ulster.ac.uk/policy/Dist%20Fellows/2011/distfellows.html andmust be submitted by no later than 12.00 noon on Wednesday, 31 st August2011.5. Nomination MaterialsThe following supporting documentation must accompany the nomination form:a. A statement of nomination (not exceeding 1500 words), describing:• the nature and significance of the nominee’s research accomplishmentsincluding a brief statement by the nominee on how he/she would use theAward to further his/her research if awarded the Fellowship;• the nominee’s impact on his/her department or the University, includingintellectual stimulation and development of colleagues and students andinfluence on the excellence and the creativity of research and otherscholarly activities of the department or university.This letter can be written by the nominee, the nominator or a prominentmember of the field.23The Research Office will provide the Awards Committee with data from the RO database on PhD supervisionand completions for the last 5 years for each nominee.The Research Office will provide the Awards Committee with details of external funding from the ResearchGrants and Contracts database for the last 5 years for each nominee. (Note: funding sources based withinNorthern Ireland will be listed separately).1

. A supporting statement from the RI Director (or from the Head of School inthe case of a nominee who is not affiliated to a Research Institute) who will beasked to endorse the evidence provided on the nominee’s research andscholarly accomplishments and to indicate that the nominee’s achievementsin relation to the criteria are at a level commensurate with the discipline.c. The nominee’s short curriculum vitae (no more than 2 A4) which shouldaddress Criteria 3 a. to e. above.d. A signed statement will also be required from a senior individual external tothe University who holds a leadership role within the nominee’s discipline anda form of words for this statement is included with the nomination form.6. Awards CommitteeThe Awards Committee will be appointed annually with the Pro-Vice-Chancellor(Research & Innovation) serving as the non-voting Chair. The Awards Committeewill comprise previous recipients of Senior Distinguished Research Fellowshipsand, if necessary, co-opted members so that all faculties from which nominationsare received will be represented. Also present at the panel meeting will be a nonvotinglay member of University Council.7. The Decision-Making Processa. Members of the Awards Committee will receive all documentation fromnominees that has been properly received by the closing date. No lateapplications will be considered.b. A scoring matrix will be used by which all Awards Committee members, withthe exception of the Chair and Council Member, will score each of theessential criteria (ie: publications, successful supervision, leadership, externalfunding, esteem factors) out of a total of 5 marks. The total score will beadditive with equal weighting for each criterion. A score of zero in anycategory for any applicant will eliminate them from that year’s competition.c. In making its decisions the Committee will take account of the materialpresented to it and judge on the quality and volume of the contributions made.The Committee will also give significance to the nominee’s statement on howthey would use the Award to further their research work. Achievements fromemployment prior to joining the University of Ulster will be taken into accountwhen assessing nominees in keeping with the eligibility criteria.d. The Awards Committee will take into account nominations where theresearcher has lost time in their career through family commitments, illness,late entry into higher education, part-time status or other good reasons.e. Where the Committee feel that the contributions made do not reach theexpected standard no Award may be made.f. The decision of the Awards Committee will be final.2

8. Role of the Council MemberThe Council member will be present solely to confirm that the stated decisionmakingprocess is adhered to. The recommendation from the Panel to Senatewill be signed by the Council member to that effect.9. NotificationAll nominees will be informed of the outcome by 30 September 2011 and awardswill be made at the Winter graduation ceremony.Unsuccessful nominees will receive written feedback which will indicate which ofthe stated criteria they did not meet or where other candidates scored morehighly.3