Undergraduate Research Mentor of the Year

Award Information

These awards, presented at the Academic Honors Banquet, honor two faculty members who have shown outstanding commitment to mentoring undergraduate research students. Good mentors serve as role models in the process of research and discovery, for the responsible conduct of research, and for entry into the profession through networking and research dissemination. Faculty members, at any level, who have shown commitment and dedication to the mentoring of undergraduate researchers, are eligible. One award will be reserved for early career faculty (fewer than 10 years at UTK), and one award will be reserved for later career faculty (more than 10 years at UTK). The awards are sponsored by the Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships.

Nominations should present evidence that the nominees have made significant contributions to advancing undergraduate research and scholarship at the University of Tennessee Knoxville or UTIA. The strongest nominations will demonstrate a commitment to undergraduate research through specific examples such as peer-reviewed publications involving undergraduates, student presentations, showings, performances, awards or scholarships related to research and evidence for the continuing success of mentored students in the research endeavor (where the students are now if possible).

Awards will be conferred at the Academic Honors Banquet on Monday, April 21, 2025.

Eligibility

• The faculty nominee must be a current employee of UT Knoxville or UTIA or have retired within the past 12 months prior to submission.
• Faculty members are eligible as early career applicants or later career applicants (fewer or more than 10 years of service at UTK).
• The majority of mentored students cited in the application must be active or former UT Knoxville undergraduates.
• May not have received the award within the past three years.

Nomination Process

The steps of the nomination process are outlined below:

Nominator submits a completed nomination form online. The online form requires the nominator to include a 200-word nomination statement. Nominees will then be contacted to submit additional documentation.

Selection Process

• Submissions will be reviewed by selected members of the Undergraduate Research Advisory Council.