The Excellence in Research Awards are designed to acknowledge ACU Dallas students and faculty who have demonstrated exemplary performance in carrying out research that makes a significant contribution to their fields. Selection decisions will be determined by the ACU Dallas Research Council.
Student Research Award
Award: The awardee will receive a certificate.
Eligibility: Eligible students must meet the following criteria:
- Be currently enrolled as an undergraduate or graduate student in an ACU Dallas program.
- Have engaged in an independent research study during their time enrolled in an ACU Dallas program.
- Received supervision by an ACU Dallas faculty member while carrying out the study.
Nominations: Students can be nominated by ACU Dallas faculty members. Students are not permitted to self-nominate. Faculty should expect to provide the following information in their nomination submission:
- Student name, contact information, and program affiliation
- How long have you have known the student and in what capacity
- A brief description of the student’s research study and its contributions to the student’s discipline
- How the student demonstrated exemplary performance in carrying out the research
Nominations are due September 30, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. CT
The awardee will be announced in October 2025.
Faculty Research Award
Award: Each awardee will receive an individual recognition plaque and a monetary award of $1500 to support research dissemination efforts (i.e. conference travel). The awardee will also be invited to provide opening remarks at the ACU Dallas Inclusive Excellence Conference scheduled for November 7, 2025.
Eligibility: Eligible faculty must meet the following criteria:
- Be a full-time ACU Dallas faculty member
- Have not received the award previously
- Be employed with ACU Dallas for at least 2 years
Nominations: Any current ACU faculty member can nominate a candidate for this award. Self-nominations are also accepted. Faculty should expect to provide the following information in their nomination submission:
- A description of the nominee’s most recent (over the past two years) research project(s)
- Highlight examples of the nominee’s exemplary performance in carrying out their research
- A discussion about the impact and significance of the nominee’s research or scholarly work to their field
- A copy of the nominee’s curriculum vitae
- If available, any supportive documents (reports, publications, etc.) published about the research
Nominations are due September 30, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. CT
The awardee will be announced during the ACU Dallas 10th Anniversary Celebration in October 2025.