[Bpsfaculty] 2024 Plant Biology Awards - reminder -- deadline for submission is Friday May 4

[Bpschair]

Dear BPSC Faculty and Graduate students,

It's time to solicit nominations to the BPSC Awards Committee for our three prestigious graduate student awards.

1.  The WW Thomson Graduate Student Achievement Award in Honor of Bill Thomson.
Professor Thomson was a Professor of Cell Biology in BPSC.  Upon his retirement in 1999, the department established a fund in his name. Several faculty members, including Professor Thomson, have been generous donors to the endowment that funds this award.  The criteria considered in choosing a recipient for this award are “Academic excellence and achievement in research.”

2. The 31st Annual Graduate Student Achievement Award.
This award is made possible from the proceeds of the Botany and Plant Sciences Graduate Student Endowment Fund.  This award was created by the efforts and generosity of Professor Tim Close and his wife Sheila.  Since its establishment, this fund has accumulated value due to additional contributions of numerous faculty donors and several businesses. The goal of this award is to encourage, facilitate, and recognize graduate student achievements and creativity.  Students must be in the Plant Biology Graduate Program to be eligible and selection criteria considered in choosing a recipient in the Plant Biology graduate program involve "evidence of creativity and ambition.”
The endowment provides this explanation:  "For example, a painting related to the research subject and displayed in an art gallery would be a creative example, as would an app related to the research for a smartphone. Starting a business or taking on a leadership position for an organization outside of UCR and related to the research would be ambitious, or gathering wild germplasm from a center of diversity to establish or expand a collection. Having a publication from performing technical tasks under the explicit direction of a Major Professor who is corresponding author would be neither creative nor ambitious. These statements of criteria are just for calibration; of course each applicant will have a unique portfolio.”

3.  The 3rd Annual Graduate Student Inclusivity Award.
The goal of this award is to honor students who have demonstrated a deep and ongoing commitment to social justice, diversity, equity and inclusion, who have promoted a culture of equity and inclusion, who exemplify UCR’s principles of community demonstrating diversity, respect, and social responsibility in their UCR or the broader community. Students must be in the Plant Biology Graduate Program to be eligible.

The Awards Committee welcomes nomination letters. Nominations may come from faculty, staff, professional scientists, or other graduate students.  In the nomination letter, please make sure to touch on these questions:
• Describe the student’s specific involvement with and experience in creating a more inclusive UCR and/or community. What have they done in the past year to improve the university climate for students with marginalized identities?
• How has the student demonstrated what it means to be a student leader in equity initiatives? Please include specific examples.

The Awards Committee welcomes nomination letters for any or all of the above awards.   Nomination letters should are limited to a single page. Previous winners of one award are eligible for the other awards. Please submit nominations here no later than 5 pm, May 4, 2024.
Awards will be announced at the BPSC Awards ceremony at the end of the Corteva Symposium and Yermanos lecture, on Wed, May 15.

How to Nominate?  Submit your nomination here:  BPSC Student award nominations<https://forms.gle/jAjRUphNToCk86QB7>

The awards committee looks forward to receiving your nominations!

Thanks, patty
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