Research Recognition Award (RRA)

The Research Recognition Award recognizes cumulative and ongoing contributions to research, broadly defined. The Research Recognition Award (RRA) Committee reviews nominations for the award and recommends candidate(s) to the Senate, which confers the award jointly with the Provost. The recipient presents at the annual Research Open House in March and is recognized at commencement.

Nominate for the Award

Deadlines, 2025-26 academic year

Monday, November 10, 2025, deadline for nominations (see criteria and eligibility below)

Friday, November 21, 2025, deadline for acceptance of the nomination

Saturday, January 10, 2026, deadline for submission of candidate materials

RRA Selection Process

Pratt Institute encourages, supports, and recognizes research across disciplines and practices. The Research Recognition Award (RRA) operates through faculty initiatives, supported by the Academic Senate and Office of the Provost, to recognize the cumulative and ongoing research of our peers in their respective fields. The RRA candidates are reviewed by a committee elected by the Senate representing faculty from various schools. The award is conferred jointly by the Academic Senate, Provost, and Board of Trustees.

We recognize a wide range of research and scholarship, for example: applied and theoretical research, creative scholarship, creative practice, and critical practice. We value ethical, responsible, sustainable, and inclusive research. We recognize and support interdisciplinary, individual, and collaborative work that promotes new research practices and results shared without barriers.

We strongly encourage nominations of individuals from groups historically underrepresented in their fields and/or at Pratt. This includes, but is not limited to, women, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and others from marginalized or equity-seeking communities.

Award

There will be one recipient of the award, whether an individual or a team. The Committee reserves the right not to give an award if no nominees meet the criteria. Details on award amount are available in the Senate Compensation Policy.

Criteria for the award

The RRA committee will consider nominees who meet all three of the criteria below:

1. Impact (for example: disciplinary impact, public impact, high impact, and originality)  
2. Critical Review and Reception (for example: prior awards, grants, exhibitions, peer review, published materials either by or about the nominee, performances, screenings, and any other evidence of professional achievement pertaining to the area of expertise)   
3. Connection to Pratt Community (for example: sharing with Pratt community and influence on pedagogy in the classroom/studio)

Eligibility for Nomination

• Pratt faculty (PT/FT), chairs, assistant chairs, and staff who teach or hold faculty titles, with at least six semesters (consecutive or nonconsecutive) at Pratt are eligible for nomination.
• Nominees must be members of the Pratt community through the time the award is made at commencement in the Spring.
• Co-researchers or research teams are eligible to apply, provided that the lead researcher or a majority of the group meets the eligibility criteria above. If selected to receive the award, the team shall divide the prize.
• Eligible individuals on sabbatical may be nominated.
• The President of the Academic Senate is not eligible.

• Previous recipients of the award are eligible again after five years.

Nomination Process

Pratt faculty, chairs, assistant chairs, and staff who teach are eligible to nominate and self-nominate for the award.

1. The nominator must submit a nomination form with the nominee’s name and Pratt email address, and the nominator’s name and Pratt email address.
2. The nominee will be notified of the nomination, and may either accept or reject the nomination. If the nominee accepts, they become a candidate.
3. The candidate must submit the following materials:

• A nomination letter that describes in detail the research accomplishments of the candidate and the reason(s) for nomination. The letter should speak to evidence that illustrates and supports the criteria listed above.
• Candidate’s personal statement that shall address the criteria for the award: the impact of their research, critical reception, and connection to Pratt community. (Maximum 750 words).
• Candidate CV.
• Two letters of support from a range of individuals knowledgeable about the candidate’s work, which demonstrate the candidate’s significant contributions to their field. One of these letters must be from an external source, and the second may be from either an internal (to Pratt) or external source.
• A research dossier presenting a well-organized compilation of evidence that supports the statement and nominee’s accomplishments to the above criteria. Materials may include, but are not limited to: ​​published works (full texts or excerpts of books, chapters, articles), project documentation, visual and performance documentation (abstracts, methodologies, project descriptions, images, videos of artworks, performances, exhibitions, screenings), critical reception (reviews, critiques, awards, grants, conference presentations, workshops, invited lectures, public events), connections to Pratt community (documentation of teaching innovations, student projects, community collaborations, or mentorship that reflects the integration of research).

Past Recipients