2025 SON Research and Academic Affairs Awards

The Research Administration Staff Award recognizes the importance of research administration staff in the grant’s administration and research processes. This award is designed to recognize the outstanding contribution of research administration professionals who have demonstrated a commitment to excellence. The award is open to SON research administration staff. Nominees must have made a significant contribution to the research process. Their accomplishments should be demonstrated through their tangible contributions, such as the development of new technologies or initiatives, or their efforts in leading teams or projects. This award is an opportunity to recognize and reward those who have made a significant contribution to research administration at JHSON. The recognition of the research administration staff for their tireless efforts and dedication will serve as a reminder of their importance in the research process.

The Research Staff Award is designed to recognize and reward the outstanding contributions of research staff in the research process. This award acknowledges the important role research staff play in advancing knowledge and promoting research and scholarship. The award is open to all research staff. Recipients are selected based on their exemplary research performance, technical expertise, and commitment to high-quality research. The award recognizes the unique and valuable contributions made by research staff and acknowledges the importance of their contributions to the SON research mission.

The Graduate Research Assistant Award is an award given to doctoral students who have shown exemplary research, communication, and problem-solving skills during a research residency or research assistant experience over the 2022-2023 academic year. This award recognizes doctoral students who are passionate about their research experiences.

The Teaching Assistant Award is designed to recognize and reward outstanding performance in teaching assistants. Recipients of the award will be honored for their dedication to their students and commitment to providing quality instruction and efforts to ensure their students are learning and succeeding.

(PhD or PhD / DNP Candidate who has defended their dissertation with dissertation formally approved in the past year. May be nominated by advisor or self-nominated.)

The Outstanding Dissertation Award is a prestigious award given to a doctoral candidate who has displayed exceptional research and writing in completing their dissertation. The award recognizes the excellence, rigor, and innovation of these doctoral candidates. The award is judged by a committee of JHSON faculty who evaluate the quality of the research, the originality of the content, and the contribution the dissertation makes to the field. The award seeks to recognize those who have gone above and beyond in their research and have made a meaningful contribution to their field. The award will be recognized at graduation. The award is a great honor and a testament of the hard work and dedication of the recipient. It is a great opportunity to showcase their talents and is often highly valued by employers.

The Outstanding Postdoctoral Research Fellow Award recognizes the exceptional achievements and contributions of postdoctoral researchers. This award is presented to a postdoctoral researcher who has demonstrated exemplary research and scholarly accomplishments, as well as a commitment to their field and to advancing knowledge. Specific examples may include a high-impact paper published within the past year or a recognized innovative funded research concept. Awardees will have demonstrated an ability to think critically, solve challenging problems, and develop new ideas, methods, or findings.

The Excellence in Health Equity Research Award recognizes outstanding research that has made a significant contribution to advancing health equity. The award celebrates research that has advanced the understanding of disparities in health and health outcomes, with an emphasis on understanding and addressing the social and structural determinants of health and health equity. The award recognizes research that has had a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of underserved and marginalized communities. The award recognizes research that has been conducted with rigor, creativity, and innovation, and has resulted in tangible improvements in health equity. The award also recognizes researchers who have made significant contributions to the field of health equity, including through leadership and mentorship. The award is intended to recognize excellence in research that has achieved meaningful impact.

The Excellence in Community Engaged Research Award recognizes researchers for outstanding research that engages with community and patient collaborators and partners, and that has had a significant impact on the community. Recipients of the award demonstrate a commitment to creating meaningful and lasting partnerships with community partners, and to applying their research findings to improve the lives of individuals, families and communities. The award recognizes the work of researchers who are dedicated to connecting with and understanding the needs of their communities, and who strive to use their research to create positive change. They are committed to building relationships and trust, and to working collaboratively with partners. Recipients of the award have demonstrated a commitment to using their research to contribute to knowledge, to improving the quality of life of their communities, and to inspiring others to do the same. The Excellence in Community Engaged Research Award is an acknowledgement of researchers who are making a difference by working in partnership with their communities. It is a celebration of the impact of their research, and a recognition of their dedication to engaging with and understanding their communities.

The Outstanding Faculty Research Award is an honor given to faculty members who have excelled in research and scholarly activities. The award recognizes faculty members who have demonstrated excellence in research, creative activities, and scholarly achievements. Recipients of this award demonstrate a commitment to research and scholarly activities, as well as a dedication to the advancement of knowledge in their field. The award is designed to recognize and reward the excellence of the faculty’s research and scholarly achievements. Recipients must demonstrate consistent excellence in research, scholarly activities, and/or creative activities. The award is intended to recognize and reward outstanding scholarship, and to encourage faculty members to pursue research and scholarly activities.

The Outstanding Research Paper Award recognizes and honors an individual for their outstanding published research paper. This award celebrates the accomplishments of an individual who has produced a paper of outstanding academic quality that is based on rigorous research and has made a significant contribution to their field. The paper should be innovative, well-written, and clearly demonstrate the author’s understanding of the subject matter. The award recipient will be recognized for their excellence and contribution to the field.

This award recognizes faculty from JHSON who are a model for integrity and professionalism and have demonstrated an exceptional commitment to mentoring and developing trainees and faculty. All full-time faculty members with a primary appointment within the JHSON are eligible for nomination.

The Exceptional Community Partner in Research Recognition Award is an award that honors an individual, organization, or group for their outstanding efforts to promote and support JHSON research initiatives that benefit their local community. This award recognizes individuals or groups who have demonstrated leadership and commitment to advancing research in their community, and have worked to ensure that research results are shared and applied to improve the lives of their constituents. This award serves as a symbol of appreciation for those who have made a significant contribution to research and the community.