The Presidential Research Professorship awards recognize professors with outstanding accomplishment and future potential in academic research or creative artistry.

The 1993-94 Presidential Research award nominations are being taken until Oct. 29. These awards have been given every year since 1982 and there have been 28 winners.

The awards are given according to merit for professors who have achieved acclaim for the work they have done in their fields of study.

Faculty members may nominate themselves or another faculty member by sending four copies of a letter indicating their qualifications to Jerrold Zar, associate provost for Graduate Studies and Research and dean of the Graduate School.

The letters must be in the form of a biography and 1,000 words long. The letters should include the research or artistic works of the nominee. This is only the first part of a four-part application for the nomination.

The other components include a current listing of all creative and other scholarly works, as well as recognitions, awards, offices and memberships.

The third requirement is a list of at least three persons outside NIU who have knowledge of the candidate’s work. The fourth is a narrative describing the development of the candidate’s career.

All of the nominees must be full-time, tenured faculty members who are ranked as professor. They also are required to have national or international recognition for their work.

The awards are announced in the spring and the office position begins on July 1.

The candidates will be evaluated by the Select Committee on Presidential Research Professorships which include past awardees and other professors appointed by the president for representation of all NIU colleges.

The awardees are expected to continue with and expand upon their research projects. They are given a $2,000 increase in their base salaries and $5,000 a year to help with their expenses, Zar said.

The winners of the award are expected to advance their knowledge or artistry in their particular areas, he said.

When their four years are finished, they will be given the title Distinguished Research Professor and should have more knowledge to help with their research and their teaching.

The program was started in 1982 by President William Monat who designated money in the school’s budget for this project. This was started to recognize professors who are particularly productive, to give them better opportunities to research and teach.

The letters for the nominees must be submitted to Zar’s office by Friday, Oct. 29, and the other three components of the applications need to be filed by Friday, Nov. 12.