Awards

College Awards

The College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences recognizes selected faculty and staff for excellence during the annual awards banquet held towards the end of each winter semester.

Early Career Teaching
Outstanding Teaching
Mentoring
Early Career Scholarship
Discovery
Faculty Distinguished Citizenship
Outstanding Performance by an Administrative Employee
Outstanding Performance by a Staff Employee

Award Descriptions and Eligibility

The department chair submits nominations to the college at cpms-secretary@byu.edu by March 31 of each year.

Each department may nominate only one candidate for each award. Nomination letters may be in any format, include bulleted lists of the candidate’s achievements. Anyone may prepare a nomination, and some departments involve departmental award committees in this process, but the final nominations should be selected and submitted to the college by the department chair. Although the nomination letters generally focus on the specific area of achievement to be recognized by the award, chairs should verify that the nominee is meeting or exceeding expectations appropriate for their current position and rank.

Early Career Teaching Award

This award, formerly known as the “Excellence in Teaching Award (3–10 Years)”, recognizes early-career faculty for excellence not only in the classroom but in teaching and mentoring students in all settings.

Eligibility: All faculty who have been at the university at least 3 years but less then 10 and hold the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor. (The name and eligibility criteria for this award were changed in 2021 to better align with the same-named university award.)

Excellence in Teaching Award

This award, formerly known as the “Excellence in Teaching Award (10+ Years)”, recognizes mid- and later-career faculty for excellence not only in the classroom but in teaching and mentoring students in all settings.

Eligibility: All faculty who have been at the university at least 10 years or hold the rank of Professor. (The name and eligibility criteria for this award were changed in 2021 to better align with the university’s Karl G. Maeser Excellence in Teaching award.)

Mentoring Award

This award, new in 2021, recognizes faculty for excellence in mentoring students in all settings, including research assistants, teaching assistants, or other students we otherwise advise.

Eligibility: All faculty members.

Early Career Scholarship Award

This award, formerly known as the Young Scholar Award recognizes early-career faculty for excellence in scholarly research.

Discovery

This award, new in 2021, recognizes significant discovery in their fields by faculty members at any stage of their career. It is intended to recognize the production of new knowledge (not just training individuals). The new knowledge may be the result of sustained effort over multiple years or a singular advance.

Eligibility: All faculty members. A faculty member may receive this award more than once, but it must be for different significant discoveries.

Distinguished Citizenship

This award recognizes significant contributions by a faculty member to their department, the college, or to the university.

Eligibility: All faculty members.

Outstanding Performance by an Administrative Employee

This award recognizes outstanding performance by an administrative employee. It may be given for a single example of outstanding performance or for sustained performance over time.

Outstanding Performance by a Staff Employee

This award recognizes outstanding performance by an staff employee. It may be given for a single example of outstanding performance or for sustained performance over time.

Past Recipients

See below for a listing of previous college award recipients:
2024 College Awards
2023 College Awards
2022 College Awards
2021 College Awards
2020 College Awards
2019 College Awards
2018 College Awards
2017 College Awards
2016 College Awards
2015 College Awards
2014 College Awards
2013 College Awards
2012 College Awards
2010 College Awards
2009 College Awards
2008 College Awards
2007 College Awards
2006 College Awards