The Barrick Scholar Awards recognize faculty members who have established a record of distinguished research or have demonstrated excellence scholarly or creative activities. These awards are funded by an endowment from the late Marjorie Barrick and are made following recommendations of a committee of former recipients. Applications are evaluated using the five review criteria listed below, with evidence considered in the context of the nominee’s career stage and discipline.

These awards are based principally on the quality and quantity of research publication or creative activity, which is judged to be extraordinary and distinguished. Only full-time tenured or tenure-track faculty who have completed at least three years of full-time employment at UNLV prior to the application deadline are eligible for these awards. Candidates must be nominated by an NSHE employee.

The awards are offered in two categories:

  • Barrick Distinguished Scholar Award, which is presented to faculty members with 10 years of service or more in an academic environment after the terminal degree, carries a $5,000 stipend.
  • Barrick Scholar Award, which is presented to faculty members with fewer than 10 years of service in an academic environment after the terminal degree, carries a $2,500 stipend.

List of Past Distinguished Barrick Scholar Award Recipients List of Past Barrick Scholar Award Recipients

Eligibility

Only full-time tenured or tenure-track faculty who have completed at least three years of full-time employment at UNLV prior to the application deadline are eligible for Barrick Awards.

Generally, no more than six Barrick Awards (three Distinguished and three Scholar) will be made in any year. An individual may receive each award category only once. A Barrick Scholar recipient may be considered for the Barrick Distinguished Scholar Award after at least five years have elapsed. Primary consideration will be given to achievements since receiving the Barrick Scholar Award. The committee has final authority to determine the level of the award.

Nomination Guidance

Nominations must come from an NSHE employee. Self-nominations are not accepted. A formal nomination letter of up to two pages, written by a dean, chair, or peer, is required.

The letter should make a case for the nominee’s accomplishments using specific examples, rather than simply listing qualifications. Discuss the nominee’s:

  • Impact and quality of work, including how it advances the field and brings recognition to UNLV.
  • Sustained scholarly or creative productivity.
  • Recognition beyond UNLV, using evidence appropriate to the discipline.
  • Competitiveness for grants, contracts, fellowships, or comparable external support or validation when those funding measures are not customary in the discipline.
  • Mentoring contributions and outcomes.
  • Write for reviewers outside the nominee’s field.

If you plan to nominate a faculty member, notify them and send them the letter directly. The nominee will include it with the other application materials.

Application Materials

Nominees must compile the application documents into a single PDF, in the order listed below: 

  • Cover page: Include the nominee’s name, title, department, college, and award category.
  • Nomination letter: Include the letter provided by the nominator. See Nomination Guidance above.
  • Letter of application: In about two pages, highlight the nominee’s research program or creative accomplishments, impact, relevant external support or comparable evidence, and mentoring activities and outcomes.
  • Curriculum vitae: Indicate whether scholarly or creative contributions were peer-reviewed or otherwise externally evaluated, where applicable. Include grants, contracts, fellowships, and other discipline-appropriate external support or recognition.
  • Significant publications or creative activities: Include up to five significant examples. For books, include a copy of the cover and a few relevant pages. For video examples, upload each video to Google Drive, set sharing so anyone with the link can view it, and enter the link in the appropriate InfoReady portal question.
  • References: Provide the name, title, and email address of three people the committee may consult about the nominee’s record.

Review Criteria

Applications will be reviewed on the following criteria:

  • Research Impact: Significance, originality, quality, and impact of the candidate’s research, scholarly work, or creative activity. Consider how the work advances its field and brings recognition to UNLV. Nomination materials should communicate the work in a way that reviewers from other disciplines can understand. (20 maximum points)
  • Research Productivity: Quality, quantity, strength, and sustained productivity of the candidate’s record, considered in the context of their career stage and discipline. Evidence may include publications, presentations, books, monographs, patents, intellectual property, performances, exhibitions, designs, or other scholarly and creative contributions. (20 maximum points)
  • National and International Recognition: Evidence of the candidate’s standing and recognition beyond UNLV, and the extent to which their work brings recognition to UNLV. Evidence may include peer-reviewed scholarship, citations, invited presentations, honors, awards, adoption or use of the work, and other forms of external recognition appropriate to the discipline. (20 maximum points)
  • Funding Competitiveness and External Support: Evidence of competitiveness for research grants and contracts, considering the candidate’s role and the norms and opportunities in their discipline. Where grants and contracts are not customary measures of accomplishment, consider comparable discipline-appropriate evidence of competitive external support or validation. (20 maximum points)
  • Mentoring Activities and Success: Quality and impact of the candidate’s mentoring of students, postdoctoral scholars, and other emerging researchers or creators. Consider evidence of mentees’ development and accomplishments, in the context of the candidate’s role and discipline. (20 maximum points)

Contact

Althea Sheets

Associate Director of Research Engagement
702-895-1880
althea.sheets@unlv.edu