Now accepting nominations: 2024 W. Fred Taylor PhD Award for Outstanding Contributions to the NIH IDeA Program

Dear IDeA Community,

The process for accepting nominations for the 2024 W. Fred Taylor Award for Outstanding Contributions to the IDeA Program is now underway. This award honors the commitment and service of W. Fred Taylor, PhD, whose NIH service focused on expanding opportunities for students, faculty and institutions in states and territories that have had historically low levels of NIH funding for biomedical research. Details about the award and guidelines for the nomination process are below

Please note that the nomination period will close on December 15, 2023 at 5 pm EST, to ensure adequate time for committee deliberation and advance notification of the recipient.

Many thanks,

Jessica Molesworth
Executive Director
EPSCoR/IDeA Foundation

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W. Fred Taylor PhD Award for Outstanding Contributions to the NIH IDeA Program Nomination Guidelines

This annual award is given by the EPSCoR/IDeA Coalition and Foundation Boards. It is intended to recognize an individual who has contributed significantly to enhancing the impact of the NIH Institutional Development Award (IDeA) Program either regionally or nationally. The award is intended to honor the commitment of Dr. W. Fred Taylor during his 20 years of service at NIH to expand opportunities for students, faculty and institutions in states and territories that have had historically low levels of NIH funding for biomedical research.

Past or current principal investigators and other key personnel of IDeA Program grants as well as institutional administrative officials (e.g., Presidents, Provosts, Vice Presidents for Research), who have made outstanding contributions to advance IDeA Program initiatives either regionally or nationally are eligible.

A selection committee composed of members of the EPSCoR/IDeA Coalition and Foundation Boards is responsible for soliciting nominations and selecting the award recipient. The Committee members include the Chairs of the EPSCoR/IDeA Coalition and EPSCoR/IDeA Foundation as well as Board members with significant knowledge of the IDeA program.

The selection committee welcomes nominations from all sources, but especially from IDeA Program grantees, institutional officials in IDeA states, and NIGMS staff. Additionally, the Nomination and Selection Committee will hold the applications received in 2023 for consideration through November 2027.

1. Nomination materials should include:
   • A concise letter of nomination on the qualifications of the nominee, as well as contact information for the nominee;
   • A comprehensive and up-to-date curriculum vitae of the nominee; and
   • A minimum of two, and a maximum of five, letters of endorsement.
     
2. All nomination materials must be submitted in electronic form and directed to Jessica Molesworth, email.
   
   
3. For the 2023 W. Fred Taylor PhD Award, the nomination period will close on December 15, 2023, at 5 pm EST, to insure adequate time for committee deliberation and advance notification of the recipient.

The W. Fred Taylor PhD Award consists of a $5,000 honorarium and an engraved crystal item. The award recipient is recognized at the annual EPSCoR/IDeA Coalition and Foundation Annual Meeting (February 26, 2024). The EPSCoR/IDeA Coalition and EPSCoR/IDeA Foundation will work with the recipient’s institution to prepare a press release for wider distribution.

• Mridul Gautam, PhD, EPSCoR/IDeA Coalition Board Chair
• Prakash Nagarkatti, PhD, EPSCoR/IDeA Foundation Board Chair
• Larry Cornett, PhD, EPSCoR/IDeA Foundation Board Member
• Kirk Dombrowski, PhD, EPSCoR/IDeA Foundation Board Member
• Shelley Lusetti, PhD, EPSCoR/IDeA Coalition Board Member
• Dean Madden, PhD, EPSCoR/IDeA Foundation Board Member
• Scott Seville, PhD, EPSCoR/IDeA Foundation Board Member
• Jessica Molesworth, EPSCoR/IDeA Foundation Executive Director