Call for Nominations: 2021 Secretary’s Research Awards

Deadline is May 13

Secretary Lonnie Bunch is pleased to announce that nominations are open for the 2021 Secretary’s Research Prizes. The Prizes, organized by the Smithsonian Congress of Scholars (SCOS), recognize excellence in recent research across the Smithsonian and reflect the diversity of research at the Institution. All current Smithsonian employees are eligible. Up to ten prizes are awarded annually in the categories listed below. Nominations close May 13, 2021.

The Prizes will be presented to the recipients at the annual SI-wide event in Fall 2021.

Nomination Process:

At least one current SI staff member must be a lead researcher on each project nominated. SI staff may nominate their own work or that of another SI staff member in one of the prize categories below. SCOS will then follow up with the nominee to provide further instructions on how to submit materials through SOLAA (the Smithsonian Online Academic Appointments system).

A selection committee composed of members of the Smithsonian Congress of Scholars will review the nominations and peer reviews and forward recommendations to the Secretary. The prizes will be presented at a ceremony in the fall, and $2,000 in research funds will be placed in 402 accounts for each winning project.

To nominate a project, go to https://solaa.si.edu. Click the “Start Nomination” button on the upper right and enter Nomination Code 3745. Be prepared to complete and upload the brief form below. Nominations must be submitted by May 13.

Prize Categories:

All nominated projects must make an original and useful contribution to knowledge on behalf of the Smithsonian. Each project will be judged on the quality of research, originality, clarity of writing and presentation, and usefulness of the research to the scholarly field and society.

Articles and chapters

• Published in 2020 in peer-reviewed journals, edited volumes, or other book-length publications.

Scholarly books

• Published in 2019 or 2020.
• Includes single-author exhibition catalogues.

Exhibition catalogues

• Published in 2020.
• Multiple authors, at least one of whom is a Smithsonian research staff member.

Symposium proceedings

• Published in 2020.
• Single or multiple authors or editors.
• Organized and edited by at least one Smithsonian staff member.

Exhibitions without a published catalog

• Opened in 2020.
• Will be judged on quality of research and innovative selection and grouping of objects, exhibition scripts, and installation strategies.
• Not a prize for education or outreach.

Audio or Moving Image Production with Accompanying Scholarly Text or Narration

• Released in 2020.

• Launched in 2020.

Scholarly websites

Nomination Form for 2021 Secretary’s Research Prize:

1. Research prize category (from list above):

• Project name:

• Primary SI Staff member:

• Additional SI Staff member/s:

Nominations close May 13, 2021.

Questions related to SOLAA, contact: Pamela Hudson Veenbaas, hudsonp@si.edu

All other questions, contact: SI-CongressofScholars@si.edu

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