Call for Nominations: 2019 Outstanding Achievements in Integrated Pest Management Award

Outstanding Achievements in IPM Award

Nominations sought for 2019 by the Northeastern Integrated Pest Management Center

The Northeastern Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Center is pleased to be launching an Outstanding Achievements in IPM Award in 2019. One professional and one student will be selected from all nominations to receive an award based on their efforts and accomplishments in IPM.

The Northeastern IPM Center fosters the development and adoption of integrated pest management, a science-based approach to dealing with pests—one that provides economic, environmental, and human-health benefits. We engage with stakeholders in agricultural, urban, and rural settings who work with us to identify and address regional priorities, whether for research, education, or outreach. The Northeastern IPM Center is one of four regional centers across the United States, supported by USDA-NIFA Crop Protection and Pest Management funding. We serve the 12 states of the Northeast.

The Northeastern IPM Center seeks nominations of growers, consultants, researchers, educators, managers, and college/university students working in:

  • Agricultural IPM (fruit, vegetables, ornamentals, and livestock and field crops)
  • Affordable housing
  • Homes
  • Schools and institutions
  • Natural-areas/water-resources IPM
  • Invasive species

The deadline for nominations is June 15, 2019.


Criteria for Nomination

Candidates for an Outstanding Achievements in IPM Award are individuals or organizations whose work on IPM in the Northeast deserves special recognition. Outstanding Achievements in IPM Awards recognize effort in

  • developing new IPM tools;
  • implementing or evaluating IPM methods in their operations, businesses, or organizations;
  • encouraging demonstrations and adoption of IPM;
  • promoting IPM and bolstering the adoption of IPM practices;
  • educating others about IPM.

Undergraduate, master’s, or PhD students showing outstanding interest and accomplishments in IPM are eligible for nomination. Accomplishments might include impressive research results, technical presentations, posters, reviewed publications, extension publications, or exemplary work with stakeholders such as growers or building managers.

Qualifications to Nominate

To submit a nomination, you must be a grower, consultant, researcher, educator, or manager working in IPM. Alternatively, you may co-nominate with someone who meets the above criteria.

To nominate a student, you must be a member of the research or extension faculty at the student’s university.

No self-nominations will be accepted. Students may not make nominations.

What to Submit

  1. A signed letter on letterhead, not exceeding two pages, with the following information:
    • Your name, title, organization, address, telephone number, email address, and affiliation with the nominee.
    • Nominee’s name, title, organization, address, telephone number, and email address.
    • Reasons for the nomination, including a description of the nominee’s operation (e.g., farm, consulting firm, business) if applicable, IPM philosophy, IPM innovations, and other activities relevant to IPM. If you are nominating an organization, describe its goals, business products or services, and IPM philosophy and practices.
    • Suggestions for suitable venues for presenting the award—for example, a professional organization annual conference or growers’ meeting.
    • Photos of the nominee practicing IPM are appreciated (but not required) at the time of submission, or later if you are notified that your nominee has won an award.
  2. At least two supporting letters of recommendation from people who have been positively affected by the nominee, also signed, on letterhead.
  3. Additional supporting information (newspaper articles, letters, photographs, etc.) as appropriate.

Note: Nominating letters, and letters of support, may be seen by the award winners or quoted in press releases or other venues.

If you do not want the nominee to see your letter, or to have a quote attributed to you, clearly state this in your letter.

Where to Submit

Address letters to Deborah G. Grantham, Director, Northeastern IPM Center

Submit nominations and supporting materials to:

Nancy Cusumano, Program/Extension Aide
340 Tower Road, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
nec2@cornell.edu

Note: All letters must be signed and on letterhead. We will accept nominations and supporting letters that are printed and mailed, or scanned as PDFs and attached to an email. A Word version of your letter is also appreciated (but not required) for easier quoting in press releases and articles.

Deadline

Nominations must be received at the Northeastern IPM Center office on or before June 15, 2019.

Determination of Award Winners

The Northeastern IPM Center staff will work with our Advisory Council and the Northeast state IPM coordinators to review nominations and select winners, based on criteria listed above.

Awards

One award will be made to a qualified professional and one to a student. Winners will receive $500 each.

Both winners must provide a story (for the Northeastern IPM Center website and/or newsletter, and social media outlets) and/or present a webinar hosted by the Northeastern IPM Center before receiving the financial award.

Presentation of Awards

IPM awards will be presented within 12 months of the winners being notified, at a professional meeting or conference appropriate to the awardee’s area of expertise. Such events allow award winners to be recognized by their colleagues and friends.

Your suggestions on an appropriate venue for presentation of the award to your nominee are welcome and greatly valued.