Jul
10

Nominations now open: 2023 Secretary’s Research Awards

Secretary Lonnie Bunch is pleased to announce that nominations are open for the 2023 Secretary’s Research Prizes. The Prizes, organized by the Smithsonian Congress of Scholars, 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 10 prizes are awarded annually in the categories listed below.

tock photo of library seen through series of arched doorways

Nominations close July 24, 2023

The Prizes will be presented to the recipients at the SI-wide event in February 2024.

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 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 through the SOLAA staff portal (https://solaastaff.si.edu/) using the orange “Start Nomination” button and entering Nomination Code: 543286752. You will need to enter the nominees name, phone number and email address, and upload a document that includes the name and category of the nominated project.  If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact Pamela Hudson Veenbaas at hudsonp@si.edu or 202-633-7058 Nominations must be submitted by July 24.

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 2022 in peer-reviewed journals, edited volumes, or other book-length publications.

Scholarly books

  • Published in 2021 or 2022.
  • Includes single-author exhibition catalogues.

Exhibition catalogues

  • Published in 2022.
  • Multiple authors, at least one of whom is a Smithsonian research staff member.

Symposium Proceedings

  • Published in 2022.
  • Multiple authors or editors.
  • Organized and edited by at least one Smithsonian staff member.

Exhibitions without a published catalogue

  • Opened in 2022.
  • 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 2022.

Scholarly websites

  • Launched in 2022.

For questions, contact: SI-CongressofScholars@si.edu

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Posted: 10 July 2023
About the Author:

Alex di Giovanni is primarily responsible for "other duties as assigned" in the Office of Communications and External Affairs. She has been with the Smithsonian since 2006 and plans to be interred in the Smithson crypt.