Recognizing the research accomplishments of investigators, staff members and scientific teams.
As the Academic Core of Advocate Health, Wake Forest University School of Medicine is proud to present the 2026 research award categories, qualifications, and requirements. These awards are open to all colleagues from the Midwest (Illinois and Wisconsin) and Southeast Regions (Charlotte, Georgia, and Winston-Salem). We hope you will consider nominating your colleagues!
Assistant professor or associate research scientist in basic and translational or clinical and population science
Associate professor or research scientist in basic and translational or clinical and population science
Full professor or senior research scientist in basic and translational or clinical and population science
Investigator of any rank who contributes significantly to our transformation to an Academic Learning Health System (aLHS)
Investigator of any rank who demonstrates exceptional leadership, efficiency and innovation in the implementation and execution of clinical trials
Instructor, assistant professor, or associate research scientist who shows qualities of a successful emerging leader
Investigator of any rank who contributes significantly to innovation and entrepreneurship
Investigator of any rank who contributes significantly to research improving and benefitting all populations
Associate professor, research scientist, or higher who has played a significant role in mentoring successful investigators
Associate professor, research scientist or higher who excels at educating others in the realm of research
Staff member (non-faculty) who contributes significantly to the success of research programs
Full professor or senior research scientist with significant history of high-level contributions to the research environment
Eligibility for Early-Career Investigators are limited to individuals at the assistant professor or associate research scientist level who have been at their institution for at least three years at the time of nomination with a focus on basic and translational science or clinical and population science. The award consists of a framed certificate and monetary gift.
Criteria include:
Ideally, the candidate will have made at least one independent contribution meeting the above criteria. In recognition of the collaborative nature of research during the early phases of most careers, an acceptable candidate must have, at the very least, been a major force behind the cited contribution.
Nomination Requirements:
Eligibility for Mid-Career Investigators are limited to individuals at the associate professor or research scientist level who have been at their institution for at least three years at the time of nomination with a focus on basic and translational science or clinical and population science. The award consists of a framed certificate and monetary gift.
Criteria include:
We anticipate that successful candidates for this award may not have attained the level of leadership, collaboration, and mentoring observed in the Established Investigators.
Nomination Requirements:
Eligibility for Established Investigators are limited to individuals at the full professor or senior research scientist level who have been at their institution for at least three years at the time of nomination with a focus on basic and translational science or clinical and population science. The award consists of a framed certificate and monetary gift.
Criteria include:
Established Investigator nominees are expected to have made major contributions to their field and have established an important research program. In addition, to qualify for this award, the nominee must have contributed significantly to the research environment through mentoring, scientific leadership, collaboration, and service to the school/health system and scientific community.
Nomination Requirements:
This category recognizes those who contribute to the aLHS and actively impact health through one or more of the following: 1) Biomedical Informatics; 2) Improvement or Implementation Science; 3) System Science and Organizational Change Management; 4) Stakeholder Engagement, Leadership, and Research Management; 5) Ethics of Health System Research; and/or 6) Health Systems Research Methods. Investigators of all ranks, who have been at their institution for a minimum of three years at the time of nomination, are eligible. The award consists of a framed certificate and monetary gift.
Criteria include:
Nomination Requirements:
The Clinical Trial Investigator Award recognizes faculty who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, efficiency, and innovation in the implementation and execution of clinical trials. Faculty of all ranks who have been at their institution for a minimum of three years at the time of nomination are eligible. The award includes a framed certificate and a monetary gift.
Criteria include:
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The Clinician Investigator category recognizes the research accomplishments of individuals whose primary responsibilities are clinical. Eligible individuals must have been at their institution for a minimum of three years at the time of nomination and have more than 50% effort devoted to clinical duties. Investigators of all ranks and degrees are eligible (e.g., MD, PhD, ScD, DVM, DDS/DMD, PA or equivalent doctoral-level terminal degree). The award consists of a framed certificate and monetary gift.
Criteria include:
Ideally, the candidate will have made at least one independent contribution, which meets the above criteria.
Nomination Requirements:
The Emerging Leader category recognizes instructors, assistant professors or associate research scientists who are up and coming leaders within their field of research and the health system. These individuals should possess exemplary leadership qualities, such as integrity, curiosity, resilience, and compassion. Instructors, assistant professors, and associate research scientists, who have been at their institution for a minimum of three years at the time of nomination are eligible. The award consists of a framed certificate and monetary gift.
Criteria include:
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The Entrepreneurship category recognizes those whose scholarly work exemplifies the successful translation of academic research into real-world impact through innovation and entrepreneurial activity. It acknowledges individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership in initiatives that bridge academia and the private sector; transforming ideas into tangible contributions that advance economic growth, public health, or societal well-being. Individuals of all ranks, who have been at their institution for a minimum of three years at the time of nomination, are eligible. The award consists of a framed certificate and monetary gift.
Criteria include:
Recognition as an outstanding innovator
Leadership role in either an entrepreneurial or research-focused effort to translate scholarly and creative academic work through interaction with industry or other elements of the private sector
History of spearheading collaborative research or scholarly efforts with private organizations that have led to an economic or health related innovation
Nomination Requirements:
The Health for All category recognizes the research accomplishments of individuals who have made significant contributions to advancing comprehensive, accessible and impactful health research that benefits all populations. Faculty of all ranks who have been at their institution for a minimum of three years at the time of nomination are eligible. The award consists of a framed certificate and monetary gift.
Criteria include:
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The Mentoring category recognizes those who have played significant roles in mentoring investigators in their trajectory in becoming highly successful researchers in the biomedical sciences. Eligible individuals must have obtained the rank of associate professor, research scientist or higher and must have been a member of their institution for at least five years at the time of nomination. The award consists of a framed certificate and monetary gift.
Attributes/Components of a Successful Mentor:
Nomination Requirements:
The Research Educator Award will be given to an individual that excels at educating others, specifically in the realm of research. This individual is a leader in their respective field and is recognized for educating faculty, staff, and students in and outside of their department. Eligible individuals must have obtained the rank of associate professor, research scientist or higher and must have been a member of the institution for at least three years at the time of nomination. The award consists of a framed certificate and monetary gift.
Attributes/Components of a successful research educator:
Nomination Requirements:
The Research Staff category recognizes the accomplishments of research staff who contribute significantly to a research team. There are separate categories for scientific staff and administrative staff members. Staff of any level, who have been at their institution for a minimum of three years at the time of nomination, are eligible. The award consists of a framed certificate and monetary gift.
Criteria include:
Nomination Requirements:
Those who operate in an administrative role, such as (but not limited to): Project Managers, Programmers, Study Coordinators, etc.
Those who operate in a staff scientist/PI/Investigator role, such as (but not limited to): Pharmacists, Research Associates, Epidemiologists, etc.
The Special Achievement Award is the highest category of career recognition, reserved for individuals who have made exceptional and sustained contributions to the research environment at their current institution. Eligibility for the Special Achievement award is limited to individuals who have attained the rank of full professor or senior research scientist and have a distinguished record of impactful work in mentoring, scientific leadership, collaboration, and service to the school, health system and broader scientific community. The award consists of a framed certificate and monetary gift.
Criteria:
Ideally, the candidate will have made multiple, sustained contributions meeting the above criteria. In recognition of the collaborative nature of academic research, an acceptable candidate must have played a central and sustained leadership role in the contributions cited.
Nomination Requirements:
Teams from any department or unit that demonstrate outstanding collaboration, operational excellence, and impact in the implementation and execution of clinical trials
Active multi-disciplinary teams working on a project that has made highly significant research contributions with notable scientific or clinical impact
The Clinical Trial Team Award honors the collective achievements of research teams who have demonstrated outstanding collaboration, operational excellence, and impact in the implementation and execution of clinical trials. Teams from any department or unit, with a minimum of three years of collaborative work at their institution, are eligible. The award consists of a framed certificate for each team member (investigators and staff).
Criteria include:
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The Established Team Award will be given to well-formed, established, active teams of researchers working across disciplines on a project that has made highly significant research contributions with notable scientific or clinical impact. The award consists of framed certificates for each team member (investigators and staff).
Criteria include:
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