Henry Russel Lectureship
In 1925, supported by funds from a bequest from Henry Russel (Law, 1875), the Regents established the Henry Russel Lectureship. Considered the University’s highest honor for a senior member of its active faculty, the Henry Russel Lectureship is awarded annually to recognize a faculty member of exceptional achievements in research, scholarship and/or creative endeavors, and an outstanding record of distinguished teaching, mentoring, and service to the university and wider communities.
General Information
Eligibility
Nominees must be senior faculty with the rank of full professor. They must be active members of the faculty when nominated and at the time of delivering the Russel Lecture, usually in the following academic year. Nominations of outstanding women, minorities and members of other groups historically underrepresented in their disciplines are encouraged.
Selection Criteria
The award recognizes a senior faculty member who has made exceptional contributions to research, scholarship and creative endeavors; who has an outstanding record as an educator in teaching and mentoring, and who has a national and international reputation for excellence that brings distinction to the University of Michigan.
Number of Awards
One Award in the amount of $10,000.
Source of Nominations
Nominations may be submitted by deans, directors, department/program heads, promotion or award committees, or individual faculty members. To re-nominate someone previously nominated, contact Honors and Awards to activate the online dossier.
Selection Process
A committee of distinguished senior faculty from different disciplines and academic units that includes former recipients of this award and is chaired by the Dean of the Graduate School, reviews nominations and makes recommendations to the President of the University. The award will be publicly announced early in the fall term and the recipient will present the annual Henry Russel Lecture in the 2018 winter term.
Deadline
The nomination deadline is 5:00 p.m., Wednesday, March 13, 2019.
For more information contact:
Honors and Awards
Telephone: (734) 615-0255
Email: honorsandawards@umich.edu
Guidelines for Preparing Nominations
As described below, a nomination dossier must include a cover sheet with contact information, a nominating letter, and curriculum vitae. Incomplete nomination dossiers cannot be reviewed. The Graduate School will add to each nomination dossier a dissertation committee service report and the Registrar’s Teaching Evaluation “Instructor Report” that tabulates quantitative data only.
The online nomination dossier may be set up by a U-M faculty or staff member. Others may be given login access to the site as needed. The nomination system may be accessed as often as needed in order to complete the nomination dossier. All materials must be uploaded in Adobe PDF format.
Cover Sheet
Complete the online cover sheet with all information requested for both the nominee and the nominator—not the administrator who may have initiated the dossier.
Nominating Letter
As committee members represent a range of disciplines and may not be familiar with the nominee’s field, describe the nominee’s contributions in a way that conveys their significance to those not acquainted with the field. Given the number of highly accomplished senior faculty with national reputations for academic excellence, the letter should explain the particular distinction that makes the nominee exceptionally qualified for this honor. The letter may incorporate quotations from former and current students, peers and faculty, including from letters solicited for tenure review, that describe the significance of the nominee’s scholarly and research achievements, teaching and mentoring excellence, service contributions and other impact measures outside the classroom.
The letter may be no longer than 2,000 words. A new letter may be submitted for re-nominations or an addendum may be submitted to update the dossier.
Letters should cover the areas below; those that do not will disadvantage the nominee:
- An assessment of the range and overall importance the nominee’s research, scholarly or creative endeavors and accomplishments so that readers can understand the scope and value of his/her professional work. The committee is especially interested in evidence of contributions that have transformed a discipline or field of study or launched a new field of study.
- Evidence of substantial recognition nationally and internationally among peers and scholars for the impact of the research or scholarship, including an explanation of the most significant external awards to help the committee assess the nominee’s stature in the field. This should include prior recognition within the University (such as selection as a Distinguished University Professor) and by professional associations, national academies, or other groups with knowledge of the nominee’s contributions. The committee is especially interested in recognition that extends beyond a nominee’s immediate field of expertise.
- Evidence of outstanding contributions as an educator. This should include having education as a high priority during the nominee’s career; engagement in curriculum development and improvement; recognition as an accomplished teacher; and engagement with graduate students and junior colleagues to further their scholarship and careers.
- Evidence of extraordinary service and collegiality within the University community and engagement with professional associations, societies, or other national institutions. This may include successful service in formal or informal administrative or leadership roles.
- Attention to activities indicative of the nominee’s breadth of interest and engagement (e.g., interdisciplinary efforts or involvement with public, nonprofit, or entrepreneurial activity) and depth of knowledge in related fields.
Curriculum Vitae
Provide the nominee’s current c.v.
Recipients of the Henry Russel Lectureship
2019
Max S. Wicha, Oncology
2018
Terry Robinson, Psychology
2017
Linda Gregerson, English Language and Literature
2016
David E. Meyer, Psychology
2015
Homer Neal, Physics
2014
Fawwaz Ulaby, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
2013
James S. House, Public Policy and Sociology
2012
Rebecca J. Scott, History/Law
2011
Richard Janko, Classical Studies
2010
Richard Nisbett, Psychology
2009
Lennard Fisk, Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences
2008
Kent V. Flannery, Anthropology
2007
Kensall Wise, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
2006
Huda Akil, Psychiatry
2005
William Fulton, Mathematics
2004
Maris Vinovskis, History/Public Policy
2003
Rowena G. Matthews, Biological Chemistry/Biophysics
2002
Gerard Mourou, Electrical Engineering & Computer Science
2000
Abigail Stewart, Psychology/Women’s Studies
1999
Jack E. Dixon, Biological Chemistry
1998
David E. Kuhl, Internal Medicine/Radiology
1997
William E. Bolcom, Music Composition
1996
Ludwig Koenen, Papyrology/Classical Studies
1995
Vincent Massey, Biological Chemistry
1994
Elizabeth M. Douvan, Psychology/Women’s Studies
1993
John H. Holland, Electrical Engineering & Computer Science/Psychology
1992
Robert Axelrod, Political Science/Public Policy
1991
Minor J. Coon, Biological Chemistry
1990
Frederick W. Gehring, Mathematics
1989
Richard D. Alexander, Evolutionary Biology
1988
Bernard W. Agranoff, Neurosciences/Biological Chemistry
1987
Philip E. Converse, Sociology/Political Science
1986
Thomas M. Donahue, Atmospheric, Oceanic & Space Science
1985
Sidney Fine, History
1984
Leslie R. Bassett, Music Composition
1983
Stefan S. Fajans, Internal Medicine
1982
Emmett R. Leith, Electrical Engineering & Computer Science
1981
Leslie Kish, Sociology/Institute for Social Research
1980
Halvor N. Christensen, Biological Chemistry
1979
Francis A. Allen, Law
1978
Arthur W. Burks, Philosophy/Computer & Communication Sciences
1977
Charles Gibson, History
1976
Lamberto Cesari, Mathematics
1975
George Kish, Geography
1974
Chia-Sun Yih, Mechanical Engineering
1973
George E. Mendenhall, Near Eastern Studies
1972
James B. Griffin, Anthropology
1971
Paul G. Kauper, Law
1970
John Arthos, English Language & Literature
1969
Arnold M. Kuethe, Aerospace Engineering
1968
Horace R. Crane, Physics
1967
Maurice H. Seevers, Pharmacology
1966
James V. Neel, Human Genetics
1965
Harold E. Wethey, History of Art
1964
William Randolph Taylor, Botany
1963
Irving A. Leonard, History
1962
Herbert C. Youtie, Classical Studies
1961
Jerome W. Conn, Medicine
1960
Frederick F. Blicke, Chemistry
1959
Raymond L. Wilder, Mathematics
1958
Verner W. Crane, History
1957
Louis I. Bredvold, English Language & Literature
1956
George E. Uhlenbeck, Physics
1955
George Granger Brown, Chemical Engineering
1954
Thomas Francis, Jr., Epidemiology
1953
Robert Gesell, Physiology
1952
David M. Dennison, Physics
1951
Aaron Franklin Shull, Zoology
1950
Arthur Edward R. Boak, History
1949
Howard Bishop Lewis, Biological Chemistry
1948
Hobart Hurd Willard, Chemistry
1947
DeWitt Henry Parker, Philosophy
1946
Elizabeth C. Crosby, Anatomy
1945
Edward Henry Kraus, Mineralogy
1944
John Alexander, Surgery
1943
Isaiah Leo Sharfman, Economics
1942
William H. Worrell, Near Eastern Studies
1941
Harrison M. Randall, Physics
1940
Frank Norman Wilson, Medicine
1939
Campbell Bonner, Greek
1938
Heber Doust Curtis, Astronomy
1937
Charles Wallace Edmunds, Materia Medica
1936
John Garrett Winter, Latin
1935
Gotthelf Carl Huber, Anatomy
1934
Ermine Cowles Case, Geology
1933
Walter B. Pillsbury, Psychology
1932
Jesse Siddall Reeves, Political Science
1931
William Herbert Hobbs, Geology
1930
Claude H. Van Tyne, History
1929
Alfred Scott Warthin, Pathology
1928
Henry Arthur Sanders, Latin
1927
Frederick George Novy, Bacteriology
1926
Moses Gomberg, Chemistry