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Faculty Development

Fall Awards

Each fall, Vanderbilt honors faculty excellence through three distinguished awards recognizing research, scholarship, and service to the university. Open to all faculty, these awards celebrate impactful contributions and provide an opportunity to highlight outstanding work across disciplines. Recipients are recognized at the Fall Faculty Assembly.

Section Contents

Fall Awards

  • Chancellor’s Award for Research

    Call for Nominations: Late Spring
    Submission Deadline: Summer

    Summary

    The Chancellor’s Award for Research recognizes up to 10 faculty annually for excellence in published research, scholarship or creative expression. The award celebrates Vanderbilt faculty whose outstanding scholarly achievements, groundbreaking research, or innovative creative works have elevated both their field and the University through transformative contributions to knowledge, culture, or society. The award is presented annually during the Fall Faculty Assembly by Chancellor Daniel Diermeier and consists of a cash prize and an engraved pewter julep cup.

    Eligibility

    The award is given for specific works presented or published in the three calendar years preceding the date of recognition. Up to 10 prizes may be awarded each year. All full-time Vanderbilt faculty are eligible. Research teams of two or more Vanderbilt faculty are also eligible to share the award and may be nominated via a single nomination. Faculty collaborators from outside Vanderbilt are not recognized.

    Nomination Process

    Nominations must include the following materials:

    1. The full citation for the work;
    2. A brief description of the nominated work;
    3. An explanation of the significance of the research, scholarship, or creative expression;
    4. Evidence of the work’s importance, including external commentary, book reviews, impact factors, citations, awards, and other external recognition;
    5. A complete curriculum vitae; and,
    6. A copy of the article or, in the case of a book, the introduction and a significant chapter. For creative works or presentations, an appropriate archival work may be submitted.

    Letters of nomination or additional recommendation letters are helpful but not required.

    Previous recipients are only eligible for work published at least five years after their initial win. The list of past winners can be found below.

    Call for nominations will occur in March of the Spring semester and complete nominations must be received by May of the Spring semester.

    Please submit all nominations electronically via  InfoReady. You must log in to the system using your VUnetID and password. Please direct any questions to the Office of Faculty Development. You must log in to the system using your VUnetID and password. Please direct any questions to the Office of Faculty Development (facultydevelopment@vanderbilt.edu)

    Current Winners

    2026

    • Rebecca Allensworth (Law)
    • Andre Bastos (Psychology) and Alexander Maier (Psychology)
    • Jay Clayton (English)
    • Abhishek Dubey (Computer Science) and Gabor Karsai (Computer Science / Electrical & Computer Engineering)
    • Reyna Gordon (Otolaryngology) and Shrishti Nayak (Otolaryngology)
    • Kevin Murphy (History of Art & Architecture)
    • Jared Speck (Mathematics)
    • Jason Valentine (Mechanical Engineering) and Yuankai Huo (Computer Science)
  • Earl Sutherland Prize for Achievement in Research

    Call for Nominations: Late Spring
    Submission Deadline: Summer

    Summary

    The Earl Sutherland Prize for Achievement in Research is awarded annually to one member of Vanderbilt’s faculty for their outstanding achievements in research, scholarship or creative expression. Named in honor Earl Sutherland, Jr., MD, a former Vanderbilt professor of anatomy and winner of the 1971 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, the award recognizes a faculty member who is nationally or internationally acclaimed in their field with a cash prize and engraved pewter julep cup. Their name is also added to a silver bowl, cast from Paul Revere’s famous design, which they can keep for a year.

    Eligibility

    Candidates are evaluated for outstanding achievements in research, scholarship or creative expression in the past 10 years, and must have garnered significant critical reception, national, or international recognition for eligible work completed while at Vanderbilt.

    Nomination Process

    The nomination must include the following materials:

    1. A letter of nomination that discusses the significance and impact of the nominee’s research as well as any evidence of national and international impact;
    2. A complete and current curriculum vitae; and,
    3. An abbreviated vitae that lists the nominee’s 20 most significant publications/accomplishments. These may include articles, books, awards, invited talks, presentations, etc.  

    The nomination may also include supporting materials such as external letters. Supporting materials are optional.

    The Review Committee will pay close attention to the level of documented national or international distinction or recognition in the form of awards, fellowships, or prizes.

    Previous recipients are not eligible for the award. The list of past winners can be found below.

    Please submit all nominations electronically via InfoReady. You must log in to the system using your VUnetID and password. Please direct any questions to the Office of Faculty Development (facultydevelopment@vanderbilt.edu).

    Call for nominations will occur in March of the Spring semester and complete nominations must be received by May of the Spring semester.

    Current Winner

    • 2026 J.B. Ruhl (Law) 
  • Thomas Jefferson Award

    Call for Nominations: Late Spring
    Submission Deadline: Summer

    Summary

    The Thomas Jefferson Award recognizes one faculty member annually “for distinguished service to Vanderbilt through extraordinary contributions as a member of the faculty in the councils and government of the University.”

    Endowed at several universities by the Robert Earl McConnell Foundation, the Thomas Jefferson Award was first established at the University of Virginia in honor of the institution’s founder, and honors one faculty member annually “who best exemplifies those attributes of mind and heart which produced the distinguished statesman and architect of American Freedom, Thomas Jefferson.” It has been presented at Vanderbilt since 1967.

    The award is presented by the Chancellor at the beginning of each academic year during the Fall Faculty Assembly. The award includes a cash prize and an engraved pewter goblet.

    Eligibility

    All full-time Vanderbilt faculty who are engaged in the councils or government of the university are eligible. Any faculty serving in a university-appointed administrative role is ineligible to receive this award.

    Nomination Process

    Any member of Vanderbilt’s faculty may submit nominations for the award to the Faculty Senate, and its Consultative Committee reviews the nominations and makes recommendations to the Provost. Final selection is made by the Chancellor in consultation with the Provost.

    Nominations will be accepted through InfoReady. Please contact Rachel Bond-Naglak (Rachel.bond-naglak@vanderbilt.edu) with any questions related to the award process.

    Nomination files consist of a letter addressing the nominee's contribution to the councils and government of the University, and a copy of the nominee’s current CV. Previous recipients are not eligible. A list of past winners, as well as a complete description of the award, can be found online at Thomas Jefferson Award.

    Call for nominations will occur in March of the Spring semester and complete nominations must be received by May of the Spring semester

    Current Winner

    • 2026 Cynthia Paschal (Biomedical Engineering)