Awards &
Opportunities
The University of Oregon recognizes and celebrates the work of its faculty members through awards and honors for the excellence and distinction of their work. Annual awards are presented across the array of faculty endeavors that are essential to the mission.
NEW! Book Publication Award
Book publication is a distinctive strength at our university in many humanities, social sciences, and professional school departments. This new award encourages and celebrates UO scholars who continue to publish books beyond those required for tenure and promotion to associate professor. Funding may be used for research travel, research materials, publication subvention, permissions, or summer salary.
NEW! Distinguished Teaching Professor Program
The new Teaching Professor Program acknowledges the extraordinary contribution of faculty careers focused largely on teaching. Awardees will see their teaching expectations reduced and will receive a stipend, allowing them to pursue significant leadership in teaching projects. The goal of the program is to extend the university-wide reach of exceptional teachers as a model and resource for the UO community.
► Check for eligibility
► Begin Application
Distinguished Teaching Awards
As the UO's highest teaching honor, the distinguished teaching awards are bestowed on a select group of faculty members each year for their excellence in teaching and pedagogy. Nominations come from students, faculty, and staff. The awards recipients are announced in May when the president and provost drop into surprise unsuspecting faculty members in their classrooms.
Provost Fellows Program
The Provost Fellows Program is an integral component of the Office of the Provost’s faculty development programming. It provides a significant professional development opportunity for mid-career faculty interested in learning more about academic leadership and contributing to university-level decision making and initiatives.
► Teaching Fellow Project
► Mentorship Fellow Project
► Leadership Fellow Project
Williams Fund
Designed to foster innovation, the Williams Fund provides financial support for initiatives that enhance the quality of the educational experience for undergraduate students at the UO. Tom and Carol Williams wanted to create a resource that could have a revolutionary effect on the way the university addresses undergraduate education.
► Fellows Nominations
► Fellowships Awarded
► Proposal Submissions
► Funded Proposals
Graduate Education Excellence Awards
These awards recognize that strong mentorship and academic leadership and coordination are essential components of strong graduate programs. With these awards, the Division of Graduate Studies hopes to reinforce and highlight practices that enhance the quality of graduate education at the University of Oregon.
► Excellence Award for Outstanding Graduate Mentorship
► Excellence Award for Directors of Graduate Studies
► Excellence Award for Graduate Coordinators
► Previous Recipients
Fund for Faculty Excellence
The Fund for Faculty Excellence awards are among the most prestigious honors bestowed on faculty at UO. They are made possible by a generous gift from Lorry I. Lokey. Established in 2006, the fund is designed to support the university’s strategic commitment to improving academic quality by rewarding faculty members for their creative work in teaching, research, scholarship, and education.
Other University Honors
UO Excellence in Advising Awards
Each year, the Division of Undergraduate Studies and the All-Campus Advising Association (ACAA) select one outstanding faculty advisor and one outstanding professional advisor. Both receive a $2,000 award, generously provided by The Division of Undergraduate Studies. The recipients who best exhibit the qualities associated with excellent advising will be recognized at an awards brunch. Faculty, students, staff, and officers of administration are welcome to nominate faculty and professional advisors who meet the eligibility requirements.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Award
Equity, inclusion, and diversity are fundamental values we aspire to as a university community. These values were profoundly reflected in the life and work of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Each year, the Division of Equity and Inclusion celebrates university faculty and staff whose contributions to the campus and local communities exemplify ideals espoused by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Remote Teaching Awards
The Remote Teaching Awards recognize faculty who transformed traditional, face-to-face courses into remote teaching environments while maintaining the qualities we value at the UO: professional, inclusive, engaged and research-informed teaching. Each recipient is awarded a $1,000 stipend.
The Wayne T. Westling Award
The Wayne T. Westling Award for University Leadership and Service was created by the UO Senate in 2001. The award is named in honor of Wayne T. Westling, Professor of Law at the University of Oregon from 1979-2001, who was recognized across campus for his unswerving and selfless commitment to faculty governance at the University of Oregon. It is given to a faculty or staff member for their outstanding and long-term leadership and service to the university. The Senate’s Committee on Committees is responsible for establishing the selection criteria, soliciting nominations, screening candidates, and recommending the recipient to the Senate for its approval. The recipient is selected when the Senate votes on the recommendation of the Committee on Committees.
Faculty Excellence in Universal Design
The Accessible Education Center awards faculty members who display excellence in universal design. This involves providing flexibility in the ways in which information is presented, how students may demonstrate knowledge or skills, and the ways in which students are able to engage in a course. Universal Design in Learning (UDL) strives to ensure equity and access for all learners.
CURE Faculty Research Mentor Awards
The Faculty Research Mentor Award recognizes UO faculty members for their exceptional mentoring of undergraduate students in research and experiential learning. The awards are open to all full-time and part-time research and instructional faculty employed by the University of Oregon. Two faculty members receive a $2,500 award every year, with nominations welcomed from current students, alumni, faculty, and administrators.
COVID-19 Research Innovation Awards
The COVID-19 Research Innovation Awards recognize faculty research efforts deployed in response to COVID-19. Research is an integral part of the UO mission and, as a public university, we strive to bridge the extraordinary talents of our faculty with the needs of our communities in Eugene/Springfield, the state of Oregon, and the larger society. Each recipient is awarded a $1,000 stipend.