SUNY ESF
Exemplary Researcher Award
This College-level award recognizes successful, currently active researchers with exemplary research activity, publication record and a graduate/undergraduate student mentorship program. The nomination process allows for nominations from three categories: Lifetime Career Achievement, Mid-Career Achievement and Early Career Achievement.
2022 Exemplary Researcher: Dr. Jonathan Cohen
Dr. Jonathan Cohen, professor in the Department of Environmental Biology, the ESF
Exemplary Researcher for 2022-23.
Announcement and Nomination Procedure
February 20, 2022
This high profile college-level award recognizes excellence in a currently active researcher (faculty or professional staff) who has demonstrated exemplary research productivity through procurement of grants, publication record, and a successful graduate and undergraduate student research program, commensurate with experience as indicated below:
Lifetime Career Achievement
Purpose: To recognize outstanding career achievements in research activity.
Eligibility: Researchers who have had a professional career of more than 16 years, and who have
been employed by ESF for a minimum of 7 years.
Criteria: Documented evidence of outstanding research accomplishments and impact of their
work on their discipline; outstanding national and international recognition in the
academic community; evidence of a substantial positive impact of research mentorship
through undergraduate students, graduate students, and/or
postdoctoral associates.
Mid-Career Achievement
Purpose: To recognize outstanding research achievements at the mid-career stage.
Eligibility: Researchers who have had a professional career of 9-16 years, and who have been employed
by ESF for a minimum of 5 years.
Criteria: Documented evidence of outstanding research accomplishments and impact of their work on their discipline; significant national and/or international recognition in the academic community; evidence of a positive impact of research mentorship through undergraduate students, graduate students, and/or postdoctoral associates.
Early Career Achievement
Purpose: To recognize accomplishments in research unusually early in their professional career.
Eligibility: Researchers who have had a professional career of less than 9 years and who have
been employed by ESF for a minimum of 3 years.
Criteria: Documented evidence of exemplary research accomplishments in their field; national
and/or international recognition in the academic community; evidence of a positive
impact of research mentorship through undergraduate students, graduate students, and/or
postdoctoral associates.
The Award
Each year, one researcher will be selected from all nominations submitted who is exemplary in their research productivity. The award, made annually, includes:
- A $5,000 research account that can roll over for three years.
- A plaque will be given to the researcher for personal display, and their name will be added to the permanent display in Bray Hall listing all winners over the years.
The recipient will present a campus-wide research seminar during the fall semester. The award will be highlighted at venues that include Board of Trustees meetings, the ESF web site, ESF Alumni magazine, local newspapers, and the Office of Research Programs (ORP) Research Times.
Nomination Procedure
All college members are invited to write a confidential letter to nominate a potential Exemplary Researcher for 2022. This letter should be sent to Dylan Parry (dparry@esf.edu), Co-Chair, Committee on Research (CoR) by Monday, March 21, 2022. At this preliminary stage, a summary of the overall scope of the potential candidate’s qualifications will suffice. While nominees in all categories are welcome, this year we particularly encourage nominations of individuals in the early career stage.
Following initial review and assessment by COR and Vice President for Research, additional materials may be sought. Applicants will be fully reviewed by COR and may include input from additional reviewers with expertise in the nominees’ field. The recipient will be selected by the Vice President for Research in view of recommendations by the COR, and the award will be announced in a timely manner.
John Stella | Vice President for Research
Dylan Parry and Ivan Gitsov | Chairs, Committee on Research