Internal Award Opportunities

FIU recognizes that academic excellence is driven by dedicated faculty who instruct, research, create, mentor and serve. We are proud of our distinguished faculty who are leaders in their research areas and have been frequently recognized with awards and honors for their expertise, leadership and contribution.
Several areas within FIU honor these individuals each year with an award for significant achievements featured below. Click on any of the areas to learn more about honors and recognitions.

Real Triumphs Faculty Award

The President’s Council Real Triumphs Faculty Award recognizes faculty who:

Engage in significant research, partnership or creative initiatives that make an impact in their field, in the community and/or the world
Promote student learning, innovation and collaboration in teaching, mentorship or advising
Demonstrate distinguished leadership within the university, the profession, and the larger community

All full-time faculty who have been employed at FIU for a minimum of three years are eligible to apply. The award recipient receives a cash award of $15,000. The President’s Council welcomes participation from all academic disciplines. We strongly encourage all colleges and schools to submit at least one nomination from their areas.

Online nominations usually open in the late spring and the President’s Council Real Triumphs Faculty Award Recipient is conferred at the Faculty Convocation Award Ceremony in the Fall semester.

Should you have any questions or would like additional information, please contact prescoun@fiu.edu or 305-348-4111.

Rewarding Excellence in Teaching Initiative

This award in teaching excellence is a part of the Evaluating and Rewarding Teaching Initiative. The Rewarding Excellence in Teaching Initiative awards are intended to recognize faculty who are working to create learning-centered, inclusive classroom experiences by using evidence/information from their own classrooms to inform instructional design and practice.

Top Scholars

Top scholars are recognized in the areas of teaching, research and service. Nominations from deans, chairs and colleagues identify individual faculty who have excelled in the categories listed below. Top Scholars are selected by a committee of peers, the provost and the president. Top Scholars are honored in a reception hosted by the president and provost where faculty share their stories of achievement and the passion that drives their work.

Research and Creative Activities categories:

Award-winning publications
Award-winning creative work
Notable Academic Appointments
Awards/Honors
Junior Faculty with Significant Grants (Humanities and Sciences)
Senior Faculty with Significant Grants (Humanities and Sciences)

Teaching and Mentoring categories:

Dedicated Mentoring (undergraduate and/or graduate)
Junior Faculty with Notable Gains in Student Learning and Success (Humanities and Sciences)
Established Faculty with Notable Gains in Student Learning and Success (Humanities and Sciences)
Teaching Scholarship
Globally Engaged and/or Culturally Responsive Teaching
Engagement Beyond the Classroom

See past honorees.

Faculty Convocation Awards

Select individuals are recognized with an award for significant achievements in their scholarly pursuits during the grand Faculty Convocation and Awards Ceremony, FIU’s annual celebration of the collective accomplishments of our faculty.

Faculty are recognized for their excellence in award categories including Teaching, Gateway Teaching, Research & Creative Activities, Engagement, Service, Advising & Mentorship and Librarianship. Adjunct Faculty Excellence in Teaching and President’s Council World’s Ahead Faculty awards are also conferred.

For more information see the Faculty Senate website.

Book Author

FIU acknowledges that the publishing of books by faculty is a major contribution to the body of academic scholarship. Since 2010, the provost has invited faculty to an informal recognition reception at the Barnes & Noble bookstore at the Modesto Maidique Campus where all submitted faculty publications are displayed in the Faculty Authors section.

Faculty Inventors

FIU acknowledges that the publishing of books by faculty is a major contribution to the body of academic scholarship. Since 2010, the provost has invited faculty to an informal recognition reception at the Barnes & Noble bookstore at the Modesto Maidique Campus where all submitted faculty publications are displayed in the Faculty Authors section.

The Fain Fellow

The Fain Fellow award recognizes outstanding performance by our faculty in advancing the university’s mission and encourages the continued development of exceptional initiatives. Awardees are named Fain Fellows and presented with The Fain Medal at the annual Faculty Convocation.

In addition, they will receive a certificate noting the reason for receiving this honor and a one-time stipend of $10,000 from the Florida International University Foundation. Finally, the names and dates of award recipients will be placed on wall plaques in the Fain Room in the Green Library and near the Founders plaque in the Hubert Library.

The Fain Medal will be awarded to a member of the faculty who demonstrates a commitment to the mission of FIU as reflected in the university motto Spes Scientia Facultas (Hope, Knowledge, Opportunity).

Hope
Focus on improving the world (as viewed on a spectrum ranging from a single individual to the world at large).

Knowledge
Focus on the transmission, dissemination, or generation of information (as represented in forms including, but not limited to, teaching, research, and experimentation).

Opportunity
Focus on the creation and realization of occasions for success and progress (as represented by individuals, groups, organizations, and societies).

Distinguished University Professor

The rank of Distinguished University Professor is the highest recognition available to Full Professors of the University. These Professors are the leaders of FIU and set the example for research, scholarship, creative activities, teaching, and service excellence.

To qualify for the rank of Distinguished University Professor, the individual must have held the rank of full professor for five years and be recognized as a pioneering force in their specific area of research/scholarship/creative activities.

Distinguished University Professor Procedures

Internal Award Opportunities