Nominations for 2026 are closed.
Cornell Research & Innovation is offering staff awards to recognize the invaluable impact individual staff have on our collective efforts to support and advance research and innovation. When nominations open in June, please take the time to tell us about the contributions of your staff colleagues.
Nominate Outstanding Staff
Choose from these four awards to acknowledge and celebrate the efforts and impact of staff colleagues. Staff award nominations recognize the contribution of individuals. Two individuals will be recognized in each category.
1 The Rising Star Award
Recognizes a staff member who demonstrates exceptional promise, initiative, and a commitment to excellence that extends beyond what is expected at their career stage.
Overview and Criteria
Nominee must have been in R&I for more than 6 months and less than 5 years at the time of the nomination.
Your nomination should include specific, observable outcomes and examples to help us see and understand the following:
- Clear demonstration of exceptional promise, growth, and potential.
- Meaningful contributions relevant to experience level, with impact that is evident within the team, the unit, or the broader work context.
- Evidence of taking on responsibilities or making contributions beyond what is typically expected at their career stage.
- Positive contribution reflecting Cornell’s skills for success.
2 The Sustained Excellence Award
Recognizes a staff member who consistently delivers outstanding results in their role. This award recognizes sustained, high-quality execution that drives meaningful outcomes for their team, their unit, or across R&I.
Overview and Criteria
Note: For this award, the review committee is looking for results, metrics, or outcomes in the nomination. Keep it specific!
Your nomination should include specific, observable outcomes and examples to help us see and understand the following:
- Sustained, high-quality execution in the nominee’s core responsibilities.
- Impact on improved outcomes for the team, the unit, or across R&I. (Broader influence will be considered when evaluating the nominee.)
- Strong performance as a consistent pattern. High standards maintained over time, rather than one-time contributions.
- Work that directly advances R&I’s operational goals and models professional standards.
3 The Innovation Award
Recognizes a staff member who introduces creative solutions, process improvements, or new approaches that increase efficiency and effectiveness.
Overview and Criteria
Note: For this award, the review committee is interested in a specific improvement, process change, or creative solution tied to efficiency. A one-time change is absolutely okay to include in this nomination.
Your nomination should include specific, observable outcomes and examples to help us see and understand the following:
- A specific improvement, process change, or creative solution tied to efficiency. Describe this change in concrete terms–what changed and how.
- Innovation that has lasting value demonstrated by adoption, replication, or expansion.
- The innovation advances R&I’s ability to serve its research community and models a culture of continuous improvement.
4 The Culture & Community Award
Recognizes a staff member who meaningfully strengthens the R&I community through their commitment to inclusion, collaboration, and belonging. This award celebrates those who make the division a better place to work for everyone around them.
Overview and Criteria
Your nomination should include specific, observable outcomes and examples to help us see and understand the following:
- Specific behaviors, initiatives, or moments cited from multiple sources or perspectives.
- Consistent positive contributions to culture, inclusion, belonging, or community, beyond job duties. (Broader contributions will be considered when evaluating the nominee–include impacts on team morale or cross-unit ties.)
- The nominee strengthens R&I’s values of inclusion, respect, and community for others.
Staff Awards Recognition
- The awards will be presented at a reception in September.
- Each awardee will receive a monetary bonus of $750 through the payroll system.
Deadlines and Process
Deadlines and Important Dates
- Nominations open: June 1
- Nominations close: July 31, 5 p.m.
- Awards reception: September 23, 3:30-5 p.m.
Eligibility
- Any active, benefits-eligible staff (regular or fixed-term) with at least 1 year in their current role (6 months for the Rising Star award).
- Not eligible: academic employees, student employees, temporary or seasonal staff, independent contractors, and consultants.
- Individuals may receive 1 award per cycle.
- Review committee members cannot be nominated for an award they are reviewing.
- Reach out to Research & Innovation HR with any questions about eligibility.
Nomination Requirements
- Any active R&I employee can submit a nomination.
- Multiple nominations may be submitted; however, each nomination may result in only 1 award.
- Self-nomination is not permitted.
- A nomination letter in Word or PDF format that includes:
- The nominee’s name, title, and department
- A summary of the achievements for which the individual is being nominated
- Note: Additional nominators may be included in nomination letter
- The name(s) and signature(s) of the nominator(s)
- 3,000 characters max.
Process
- Nomination letters are submitted through this Qualtrics survey.
- R&I Human Resources reviews nominations for eligibility, completeness, and appropriate category alignment.
- Members of the review committee independently review each nomination and use a rubric to assign a score based on alignment with award criteria, impact (scope and depth), provided evidence/examples, sustainability of contribution, and contribution to division culture/mission.
- Review committee reviews as a group and advances selection to HR for review.
- Final review by the vice provost for research.