The Robert Holland Jr. Award (Holland Award) recognizes and welcomes outstanding senior scientists with diverse perspectives and backgrounds into the Cottrell Scholar community. The award honors the legacy of the late Robert Holland Jr., an engineer and corporate executive who served as a member of RCSA’s Board of Directors from 1997-2010. Holland Award recipients will be invited to join the Cottrell Scholar community, bringing important new voices and ideas to the annual Cottrell Scholar Conference and Cottrell Scholar Collaborative teams.

Designed by Cottrell Scholars, this award celebrates the work of outstanding scholars with backgrounds and contributions currently underrepresented in the Cottrell Scholar community.

Cottrell Scholars are outstanding teacher-scholars with research and educational programs in the fields of Chemistry, Physics, and Astronomy. (Click here for areas of research supported in the Cottrell Scholar program.) In the spirit of the Cottrell Scholar community, candidates need to demonstrate a consistent record of, and strong commitment to, creativity, excellence in research and teaching, and mentorship guided toward diversity and inclusion.

Previous Cottrell Scholars do not qualify for this award. Holland Award recipients become members of the Cottrell Scholar community and eligible for Cottrell Plus initiatives, including Cottrell STAR, Cottrell IMPACT, and Cottrell SEED Awards. As members of the Cottrell Scholar community, Holland recipients are invited to the annual Cottrell Scholar Conference and are eligible for Cottrell Scholar Collaborative awards.

The Holland Award consists of a $5,000 cash prize to the recipient. Award applications are initiated by nominations.

The Holland Award is highlighted in two venues. Holland awardees are invited to give a presentation at the summer Cottrell Scholar Conference, and RCSA promotes the award in professional journals.

Eligibility

Nominees should have earned tenure in a Chemistry, Physics or Astronomy Department, or closely related disciplines in the physical sciences, at a research university or primarily undergraduate institution in the United States or Canada, and currently hold a faculty or researcher appointment in higher education or at a national laboratory. Nominees should be established teacher-scholars with a strong record of impact and leadership in their field and their institution. Special consideration will be given to candidates from marginalized groups, and to candidates who hold appointments at historically Black colleges and universities, minority-serving institutions, or Hispanic-serving institutions.

Nomination and Application Process

Complete application packages should contain the following materials and be compiled and submitted by the Cottrell Scholar nominator:

• A letter of nomination (up to two pages) from a Cottrell Scholar or Holland awardee describing the outstanding nominee’s qualifications, accomplishments and potential to broaden the perspectives of the Cottrell Scholar community. Although self-nominations are not accepted, interested candidates are encouraged to initiate the nomination process by requesting a letter of nomination from a Cottrell Scholar or Holland awardee. For a complete list of Cottrell Scholars, visit the Cottrell Scholar dashboard. Holland recipients are listed here.

• Nominee’s statement of interest (up to three pages) to become part of the Cottrell Scholar community. Nominee’s essay should highlight contributions in the most relevant aspects of this award, including excellence in research and teaching, mentoring approaches with special emphasis on broadening participation of URM students in STEM, and/or leadership activities.

• Nominee’s CV (up to 5 pages) tailored to highlight elements relevant to award selection criteria.

Required materials should be compiled by the Cottrell Scholar or Holland nominator and submitted via their portal account in PRISM.

Application deadline is 11:59 p.m. (Pacific time) November 4, 2024.

Selection Criteria

• Nominee’s strong record as a researcher

• Nominee’s record as an excellent teacher/educator, including teaching awards and classroom implementation of modern and inclusive pedagogies

• Evidence of the nominee as a dedicated and inclusive mentor, inside and/or outside the classroom

• Nominee’s record in leadership roles, especially in initiatives that increase diversity, equity, and inclusion

• Nominee’s interest and potential impact in bringing a diverse voice to the Cottrell Scholar Community