Alex and Jessie C. Black Award for Excellence in Research

The purpose of this award shall be to recognize, tenure-track faculty, in the College of Agricultural Sciences whose significant accomplishments include exceptional and original agricultural research conducted at Penn State.

Who can submit a nomination for this award?

  • Anyone can submit a nomination for the Black award.

Eligibility Requirements

  • All College of Agricultural Sciences tenure-track or tenured faculty members on standing appointments.
  • Nominees must have their primary appointment in the College of Agricultural Sciences.
  • Past recipients are not eligible.
  • Only single faculty nominations will be accepted; group nominations will not be considered.

Nomination Requirements

  • Nomination Letter

    • Upload a unified PDF of the nomination package, including the following:
      1. Letter of nomination, including a summary statement of the relevance and importance of the contributions made by the nominee.
        • The research must have been published in professional journals, patented, or made available to other scientists and clientele in an appropriate manner. Initiative and success in securing research funds, where appropriate, will be among the criteria considered.
      2. The nominee's curriculum vitae.

  • Letters of Recommendation (optional)

    • You may also request up to two (2) additional letters of recommendation from colleagues.
      • Please notify the letter writers that they will receive the request for letters via the InfoReady system.
      • You will be able to view the reference letters once they are submitted. Upon submitting your nomination, your reference letter writers will receive an email containing a unique link to a web page where reference letters may be uploaded.

Nomination Deadline

Friday, September 16, 2022

SUBMIT A NOMINATION

Selection Process

An award committee will be appointed by the Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Education to select the recipient. The selection criteria will be based on evidence of exceptional and original research conducted at Penn State.

Recipient List

  • 2021 - Jason Rasgon, Entomology
  • 2020 - Elizabeth Boyer, Ecosystem Science and Management
  • 2019 - Kelli Hoover, Entomology
  • 2018 - Mark Guiltinan, Plant Science
  • 2017 - Jason Kaye, Ecosystem Science and Management
  • 2016 - David Eissenstat, Ecosystem Science and Management
  • 2015 - Christina Grozinger, Entomology
  • 2014 - no nominations/no awardee
  • 2013 - Ali Demirci, Agricultural & Biological Engineering

Past Recipients

Office for Research and Graduate Education

Address

217 Agricultural Administration Building
University Park, PA 16802

Office for Research and Graduate Education

Address

217 Agricultural Administration Building
University Park, PA 16802