Distinguished Leader in Diversity and Inclusion Award

Nominations for the 2024 Distinguished Faculty Awards cycle have closed.

Overview:
The objective of this award is to honor faculty who have made outstanding contributions towards fostering a more diverse and inclusive community in the Biological Sciences Division. While we define diversity broadly to include race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, ability, sex, age, and class, we are particularly interested in honoring faculty who have increased the number of under-represented minorities in our faculty, graduate, and training programs; increased the number of women faculty in academic leadership; or whose clinical, patient and/or medical education, or research work has addressed health disparities by ensuring equitable, high-quality care and optimal health outcomes for diverse populations. Each faculty member may nominate one junior and one senior faculty member in this award category.

Awardees:

  • One Junior Faculty Award: Instructors, Assistant Professors, early Associate Professors (4yrs or less)
  • One Senior Faculty Award: Late Associate (more than 4 years) or Full Professors

Eligibility:

  • The nominee must be a current member of the employed (non-voluntary) faculty at the University of Chicago and hold their primary appointment in a BSD department.
  • The achievements for which the candidate is being nominated must have occurred while a faculty member at the University of Chicago.
  • Current elected members of the Faculty Advisory Committee are ineligible; see list of members here.

Examples of Nomination Criteria:

  • Outstanding research in health disparities or other research/scholarship focusing on health outcomes of diverse populations (e.g., racial-ethnic, gender, sexual orientation)
  • Outstanding efforts to increase diversity (e.g. racial-ethnic, gender, sexual orientation) among faculty, trainees, staff, and students in the BSD
  • Strong commitment to mentoring diverse faculty, trainees, and students
  • Successful development and delivery of curricula to increase competency and/or knowledge in addressing the health of diverse populations
  • Successful development of clinical programs specifically to enhance the health of diverse populations

Nomination Submission Requirements:

  • Nominee’s CV  (Highlight with achievements & activities relevant to this award)
  • Nomination Letter (250-500 words) describing the ways in which the nominee:
    • Contributed (through various methods) to an increase in recruitment of URIM and/or women (if a specialty that is non-majority women)
    • Performed outstanding clinical, educational, or research work that addresses healthcare disparities
    • Mentored diverse faculty, trainees, or students

Submit your Award Nomination by completing the Google form HERE: https://forms.gle/DyNAKH2DPyq5SgZ58

Submit nomination materials HERE https://uchicago.app.box.com/f/0e2dcf68c4e6497689357768e8ba6cf3

 

Award Winners

2024

Jessica S. Donington, MD, MCSR Professor of Surgery

Clarabelle DeVries, MD Assistant Professor of Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine

2023

Keme Carter, MD Associate Professor of Medicine

Ayodeji Adegunsoye, MD Assistant Professor of Medicine, Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care

2022

Junior Award: Sarah Faris, Associate Professor of Surgery

Senior Award: Monica Peek, Ellen H. Block Professor for Health Justice

2021
  • Chelsea Dorsey, MD, Surgery (Vascular)
  • Matthew Kaufman, PhD, Organismal Biology
  • Mary Eileen Dolan, PhD, Medicine (HONC)
  • Christine Babcock, MD, Medicine (Emergency)
2014 - 2020

2020

  • Bryan Smith, MD, Medicine
  • Brian Williams, MD, Surgery

2019

  • Kenneth Bader, PhD, Radiology
  • Jeffrey B. Matthews, MD, Surgery

2018

  • Rochelle Naylor, MD, Pediatrics
  • Karen Kim, MD, MS, Medicine

2017

  • Sonia, Kupfer, MD, Medicine
  • Monica Vela, MD, Medicine

2016

  • John A. Schneider, MD, MPH, Medicine

2015

  • Nancy Shwartz, PhD, Pediatrics

2014

  • William McDade, MD, PhD, Anesthesia and Critical Care