ITAA Mid-Career Excellence Award is to recognize excellent scholarly achievements made by mid-career professionals since their last promotion. Candidates for this award should typically be in the mid-career stage at the Associate Professor level or functioning at that rank in an academic setting and must have an established record of productive, independent, and impactful peer-reviewed research and creative scholarship activities at the time of application.

The candidate must be a member of ITAA for at least 5 consecutive years, be in the mid-career stage (associate professor level or functioning at that rank in an academic setting), and has not received the Rising Star Award within the past 3 years, at the time of nomination.

Nomination Packet: Self-nominations and nominations from other ITAA members are welcome. The following nomination materials are required and must be submitted through the online submission site by February 1.  

1. An information sheet that includes: nominator’s name, address, telephone number, and Email address; nominee’s name address, telephone number, and Email address; Email address of the University Communications/Marketing division affiliated with the nominee; and 200 word description of nominee’s accomplishments suitable for a “press release”.
2. Letter of nomination.
3. Minimum of two (2) letters of support from other ITAA members. Letters should specify reasons for the nomination (contributions and/or service) and highlight the significant and exceptional scholarship of the nominee. No more than one letter of support can be from former graduate advisees of the nominee. (Nominator should retain original copies of the support letters. Support letters will be compiled into presentation packets for the Mid-Career Excellence awardee).
4. Current curriculum vita of nominee focusing on scholarship.
5. Nominee’s 750 words of statement highlighting scholarship.
6. Photo of nominee (minimum 300 dpi). 

Compile files into one folder. Name the folder, “Mid Career-Nominee’s Name”. Compress folder into a zip file and be prepared to upload the zip file during the online submission process. Deadline for submissions is February 1. Online submission site opens January 6.

Criteria for Evaluating Nominees: ITAA member who exhibits clear evidence in at least two of the following categories will be seriously considered.

• Active scholarship activities such as peer reviewed publications, juried design exhibits, book publications, and presentations at national/international conferences.
• Scholarship excellence recognition such as research award from home institution and from other affiliated professional associations.
• Nomination/recognition of research excellence such as external grants, projects sponsored by industry, or internal grants from home institution.

Selection Procedure: The VP of Operations will distribute the materials among the Faculty Fellowship and Awards Committee; at least one ITAA Fellow will serve on the review committee. Recommendations from the committee, including a summary of the criteria from which the recommendations were drawn, will be forwarded to the Vice-President for Operations who will present the nominations(s) to the Executive Council for a 2/3 majority vote and final selection. 

Mid-Career Excellence Award Recognition: Upon Council approval of the nomination(s), the VP of Operations will notify the nominee. Receipt of materials grants permission to use the materials for publicity and retention in the ITAA archives. Recipient of the ITAA Mid-Career Excellence Award are encouraged to attend the ITAA Annual conference to be recognized and to receive the award. Award recipients will receive a conference registration fee waiver, a trophy, and an opportunity to share their appreciation for receiving the award through the ITAA newsletter.